Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 20 (ANI): Following India’s Asia Cup squad announcement, ex-Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif welcomed pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the T20I set-up following a mixed outing in England where he struggled with fitness in the fourth Manchester Test, telling his critics to “open their mouths carefully” on the “promising diamond of India”.
Bumrah will be returning to the T20I set-up after over a year of heavy red-ball grind, which saw him also feature in tours to Australia and England. Following a record-breaking tour to Australia with 32 wickets, Bumrah took 14 wickets in three matches during the England tour, including two five-wicket hauls, but his lack of success with the new ball throughout the series and fitness issues during the fourth Manchester Test raised questions over his workload once again and whether he would play the Asia Cup for India in T20I format.
Speaking about the pace spearhead’s return, Kaif pointed out how Bumrah’s critics pointed out that whenever he played a Test during the recently concluded England tour, India did not win.
“Open your mouth carefully because you mentioned that whatever matches we played in England, we lost when he played. You better look at how many matches he has played and India won them, go and find out that as well, regardless of the format. When he plays, how many times does he give match-winning performances? Go and find that stat as well. Bumrah is a promising diamond of India. You do not report him. There are no stains on him,” he said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif said that as he had said in one of his previous videos, Bumrah could not be seen playing Tests for too long after his recent injury struggles, he could play white-ball games as the workload would be lesser and recovery time would be good enough too, especially if he gets rest during matches against smaller teams like Oman, UAE.
“I already said that Bumrah might not be seen playing long in Tests, but in white-ball cricket, if India comes in the Asia Cup final, then he might play seven games. He will bowl 28 overs (four overs per match), and I am speaking about a two or three-week-long tournament. There is no problem in bowling 28 overs; he will get time to recover. You can rest him in one odd match against Oman or weaker teams. After workload management and a break, he will be used. I think he would not face any issues in bowling four overs. You need Bumrah in T20 because he can change the course of the game with his bowling,” he added.
Kaif, however, was disappointed with no Mohammed Siraj in the team sheet, saying that he will be missed because of his form, having emerged as the leading wicket-taker during the England tour with 23 scalps in five matches and bowling lengthy spells in each game.
“There is no Mohammed Siraj as well, and he will be missed because of the form he was in, the way he bowled in England, bowled longer spells in each game. By bowling that much, you have the bowling form. He plays IPL and picked up wickets as well. If you see, he is bowling exceedingly well in the first 10-12 matches. So, I am surprised he was not in the 20-member side,” he said.
“I am disappointed because he finished the series 2-2 on his own. We know how well he bowled, and when you have the form, you want to back that bowler, and that is why I am disappointed not to see him in the Asia Cup. He is an equally brilliant bowler even in white-ball cricket,” he added.
During IPL 2025 for the Gujarat Titans (GT), he took 16 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 32.93, with best figures of 4/17. For India, he has taken 14 wickets in 16 T20Is at an average of 32.28, with best figures of 4/17. His last T20I for India came against Sri Lanka in July last year.
India will kick off their campaign against the UAE on September 10, while the high-voltage game against Pakistan is scheduled for September 14, with both fixtures set to be played in Dubai. India will play their final group stage fixture against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi. After the group stage, the tournament will proceed to the Super 4, where the top two teams from each group will qualify. If India finishes at the top of Group A, then all of their Super 4 matches will be held in Dubai. If India finishes second, then one of their Super 4 clashes will be held in Abu Dhabi and the remaining two in Dubai. The Super 4 stage will run from September 20 to 26. Dubai will host the final, which is scheduled for September 28.
Team India squad for Asia Cup: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku SinghReserve players: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal. (ANI)
