Former India batsman Dinesh Karthik has called for a tactical rethink ahead of India’s must-win Super 8 match against West Indies, suggesting Jasprit Bumrah should get the new ball in Kolkata.
India are heading into the knockout gameKarthik believes Bumrah’s early impact could prove decisive.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Karthik emphasized that using Bumrah upfront can allow India to strike early and prevent the Caribbean side from settling into their usual aggressive rhythm.
“I feel Bumrah should be given a new ball. When you talk about the match against Zimbabwe, India won by a big margin, but that margin could have been bigger if you had given Bumrah a new ball.”
He can bring the ball in and out. But that night he came around 5-6. and was less effective. Those are hard turns because you don’t have much swing.’
HOW TO USE BUMRAH ENOUGH
Against Zimbabwe, Bumrah produced a clean sweep of 0 for 21 from three overs. However, the new ball did not trust him as Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya opened the attack.
Bumrah was only introduced in the fifth over, which limited his opportunity to use early movement. He ended up skipping just one in the over, reducing the threat he usually poses with the new ball.
The contrast was clear in the previous game against South Africa. In Ahmedabad, Bumrah bowled the second and fourth overs, taking two wickets during the power over and conceding just seven runs during that phase. He ended up going 3 for 15 in a game where most Indian bowlers struggled.
WHY NEW BALL BUMRAH CAN DESTROY WEST INDIES
West Indies may have faltered against South Africa recently, but their batting line-up still has considerable firepower.
Players like Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd are capable of turning games around quickly if given time to settle.
Karthik’s proposal hinges on their denial. Bumrah’s ability to swing the new ball both ways makes him India’s best option to strike early, especially in high-pressure games where control in the power bowler can affect the entire match.
With a semi-final spot on the line, handing the new ball to Bumrah could be the tactical move India need to tip the balance early.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
01 March 2026 14:14 IST
