Jasprit Bumrah
Credit: PTI Photo
Dubai: What a luxury it must be for a T20 captain to be able to fall back on the genius of Jasprit Bumrah. Virat Kohli and, later, Rohit Sharma enjoyed that privilege for extended spells, between 2017 and the middle of 2024, the latter for franchise and country. Now, for the first time since he took charge of India’s Twenty20 International side some 13 and a half months back, Suryakumar Yadav can go about his business secure in the knowledge that he has four ultra-bankable, game-changing overs in the bag, 24 deliveries that can dictate the outcome of a contest irrevocably.
Bumrah hasn’t played a T20I since his heroics in the World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean 14 months back. He didn’t figure in India’s Champions Trophy triumph in this part of the world in March, recovering from a recurring back injury that hangs around his neck like a millstone. He was under scrutiny in England over the summer after being made available for only three of the five Tests as to manage his body and ensure that another flare-up of the back, with devastating consequences, is avoided. His efficacy has been questioned, especially with both victories in England coming in his absence. But anyone who questions his place, or commitment, is clearly barking up the wrong tree.
There hasn’t been even the slightest indication, during India’s practice sessions since their arrival in Dubai last week, that Bumrah is anything but completely switched on. He has hit the ground running, deliberately choosing not to ease himself back. Rapid and furious at the nets, he has effortlessly donned his game-face, which must be music to Suryakumar’s ears but which won’t thrill India’s opponents one bit.
The unquestioned star of India’s march to the 2024 T20 World Cup as his parsimony and penetrative powers competed for eyeballs, the Player of the Tournament award was mere affirmation of Bumrah’s influence on his team’s extravagant display of class and calibre. ‘Workload management’, the much-abused term that was bandied about in England with the consistency of a Novak Djokovic making Grand Slam semifinals, should be in short supply over the next three weeks. Four overs per match, for a maximum of seven games spread over 18 days with potentially only one day’s travel – to Abu Dhabi for the September 19 game against Oman – ought to be a breeze from a physical perspective.
Sustained absence
In Bumrah’s sustained absence, left-armer Arshdeep Singh has established himself as the premier T20 pace bowler. Within three years of his debut, the 26-year-old is the country’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, with 99 sticks, though he will happily cede lead-striker status to his illustrious senior, whose benevolent guiding hand in Arshdeep’s meteoric rise is all too evident. Dynamics of team composition will compel Suryakumar to walk a delicate tightrope in trying to fit Bumrah and Arshdeep into the same XI without compromising on batting depth. But it is a headache he and head coach Gautam Gambhir will be happy to be confronted with, given the other option – the lack of alternatives.
India have four Tests, all at home, lined up between now and the next T20 World Cup. Bumrah will play in some of those, at best; given where he is at now, it is in India and Bumrah’s best interests to be smart and picky. His presence at the World Cup is imperative if India are to reprise the magic of last year. Welcome back, Jassi, Suryakumar might well say.