When it comes to Jasprit Bumrah, as an Indian cricket fan, you always run out of adjectives to describe him. He has been the main man with the ball for India in all three formats for years, single-handedly winning games for his side. And the Aussies know it best when it comes to Bumrah and his performances.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, the pacer picked up 32 wickets in nine innings and although India lost 1–3, he was named player of the series. Now, the format will be different, but the thrill of seeing a pace master at work remains an exciting prospect. Irfan Pathan summed it up perfectly when he said that Bumrah is the most skilful bowler India has ever produced.
“Jasprit Bumrah. What a comeback! Economy rate of six – unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t think India has ever produced a more skilful bowler than Bumrah. We may not see another like him,” Pathan said.
The former all-rounder believes that Bumrah will have a big role to play in the upcoming series.
“After a break from ODIs after the Asia Cup, his return to T20Is is a huge positive. His role will be critical – start with the new ball, bowl an over or two in the middle and finish at the death. The key will be how Suryakumar Yadav handles him as captain,” Pathan said.
While Pathan mentioned that Bumrah would mix it up across phases – in the overs, in the middle and at the death – that hasn’t been the case in recent times. During the Asia Cup in particular, we saw a tactical shift in the way the pacer was used under Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav.
Attack the power play
Usually Bumrah misses one or two overs in the over and then comes back at the death. However, the current regime believes in attacking with the ball early and the focus is now on exploiting his new ball ability. That was the point Suryakumar Yadav emphasized during his pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I as he relies on Bumrah’s experience in Australian conditions to make an early breakthrough.
“You saw in the Asia Cup, he (Bumrah) took the responsibility of playing at least 2 overs in the powerplay, so it’s good that he’s putting his hand up and acting like he’s the one to take charge. It’s definitely going to be a good challenge against the Australian team in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said.
Echoing the sentiment, Abhishek Nayar said the idea is to be explosive with the ball early on – and Bumrah is the perfect weapon for that.
“In this current T20I configuration, we are seeing Bumrah adopt a completely transformed role where he now bowls three overs during the opening phase of the Powerplay. This strategic shift is directly related to captain Suryakumar Yadav’s emphasis on early breakthroughs and coach Gautam Gambhir’s philosophy of aggressive wicket-taking.
The team management is clearly using him in a very special way. This approach will be particularly fascinating to watch in Australian conditions, especially given their formidable batting depth in the lower order. It will be compelling to see how his bowling responsibilities are managed, although I have absolutely no doubt that he remains extremely motivated to do something special on Australian soil,” said Nayar while talking to JioHotstar.
The strategy has met with mixed reviews, but it looks like India will continue their journey to the T20 World Cup.
This approach has clear advantages. It allows India to put the opposition under pressure early in the innings. In the upcoming series against Australia, Bumrah’s new role could help him focus on Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head – both of whom have been key thorn for India.
Marsh has been in red-hot T20I form this year, averaging 40.77 with a strike rate of 164.57. Meanwhile, Head has scored 255 runs in 8 T20Is against India and always seems to find something extra when facing the Men in Blue. The dismissal of one or both early in the series could tilt the contest in India’s favour.
And there is no better person for the job than Bumrah. With the new ball, Bumrah has taken 31 wickets in 69 matches at an average of 24.93 with an economy of just 6.08 – elite figures for a pacer in this format.
Stopping Over Addiction
It’s no secret that India have often been over-reliant on Bumrah in big matches. His presence alone provides a psychological advantage that boosts the team’s confidence.
One of Bumrah’s evolving roles now is to groom the next generation of bowlers, especially with the World Cup on the horizon. During the Asia Cup, the onus often fell on Arshdeep Singh and the spinners to control the death overs – a conscious effort by the management to build depth.
Youngsters like Harshit Rana, who has impressed in the IPL with his fearless bowling, can benefit immensely from sharing the dressing room with Bumrah. Similarly, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is being developed as the next big all-rounder after Hardik Pandya, has a lot to learn from him.
By using Bumrah early in the innings, India can test their younger bowlers under pressure later on – ensuring the team doesn’t fall into the trap of over-reliance. It is a proactive approach towards the World Cup.
All eyes will now be on Canberra as Bumrah returns to one of his favorite hunting grounds – this time in a new role. His ability to step in early and mentor India’s young attack will be key as the team prepares to defend their title next year.
Because when Bumrah leads the bowling attack, there is always a sense that India is in safe hands.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
October 29, 2025
