WTC Final | No wickets from Bumrah was the biggest setback for India, declares Wasim Jaffer
Bumrah was ineffective in the WTC final
|Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer has highlighted Jasprit Bumrah's wicketless display in the WTC final against New Zealand as the biggest setback for India. He was also not impressed with the way India batted in the second innings and felt they should have been more positive.
India's bowling attack, especially the pace battery is quite impressive in the longer format of the game. But it has been Jasprit Bumrah, who provides the X-factor to the line-up with his unmatchable temperament and top-notch skills. The Indian bowling attack has done extremely well with him as the leader of the pack, especially in SENA countries. However, he turned out to be the biggest disappointment for India in the WTC final as he went wicketless in conditions that had a lot of assistance for the pace bowlers. Bumrah only bowled well in patches but couldn't translate it into wickets, much to the dismay of the side.
Reflecting on the WTC final, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer reckoned that Jasprit Bumrah was a big disappointment while he heaped praise on the trio of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler for India alongside Ishant Sharma. Ashwin supported really well, but to see no wickets from Jasprit Bumrah was disappointing and it was a big setback for the Indian team. Even though I don't think Bumrah bowled badly, somewhere I thought the wickets column eluded him,” Jaffer said on his Youtube channel, reported HT.
One of the biggest factors behind India's loss was their awful batting in the second innings. In the morning session of day six, they lost three wickets in the first session and from there on, could never get back in the game, ending with a paltry lead of 139. It ended with New Zealand winning the game comfortably with eight wickets in hand. Jaffer further added that India should have been more positive in the second innings.
"I was really disappointed by the way India batted in the second innings. They should have been a little bit more positive and should have showed more intent. Probably 40-50 runs would have saved the game or would have made the game more interesting had New Zealand gone on to chase the game with a bit more run-rate. I thought 170 was a below-par score and the conditions of the first day probably played on their minds," Jaffer concluded.
The Virat Kohli-led India will now next feature in the five-match Test series in England starting in August. They have now lost five of their last six Tests in England winning only a solitary Test.
