Jasprit Bumrah of India looks on as Travis Head of Australia bids for a single. (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Former India batsman Robin Uthappa offered a candid assessment of Jasprit Bumrah’s rare day off, suggesting that the pacer tends to lose his rhythm when he tries too hard for wickets. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Speaking to Star Sports after India’s four-wicket loss to Australia in the second T20I at the MCG, Uthappa said the team’s eagerness to force breakthroughs failed early in the innings.
Abhishek Sharma Press Conference: Harshit Rana’s match in tough Australian conditions
“When we bowled after we scored 125, the start was very important. If we had taken two or three wickets in the first three or four overs, the game could have been tighter because we have quality spinners in the middle overs,” Uthappa said. “I felt like we probably tried too hard to pick up goals. So we got a little bit off.”India, defending a modest total of 125, needed timely strikes from Bumrah, but Australian openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head batted brilliantly. Their opening stand of 51 runs set the tone for a dominant chase that was completed in just 13.2 overs. Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Head and later added another scalp to become India’s best bowler of the night.
Vote
Do you think Bumrah’s performance was affected by too much pursuit of wickets?
Uthappa singled out Bumrah’s performance for closer analysis and pointed out a recurring tendency. “I have noticed that whenever Bumrah is desperate to pick up wickets, he gets a bit wayward. When he is disciplined and hits good line and length, he usually picks up wickets,” he explained. “Australia took full advantage of that stubbornness early on.While Bumrah struck twice in his last match, the damage was already done. India’s lack of discipline in the power bowl allowed Australia to dominate early, leaving their bowlers to drive the game.
