India will take on England in the T20 World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar made a bold tactical suggestion. He wants Jasprit Bumrah to cut loose at the start of the over to dismantle England’s formidable top order.
In an interview with selected media, Gavaskar strongly defended Bumrah bowling at least two overs in the first six. This is different from his typical opening in the fifth over. The former India captain believes early strikes against Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and in-form Harry Brook could break the back of England’s batting line-up.
“I believe he should play at least two overs in the over because as a new bowler, if he can get those early wickets…Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Harry Brook, he will pretty much break the back of the English batting,” explained Gavaskar.
His reasoning is simple but compelling. By the time Bumrah is usually introduced in the fifth over, the batter has already bowled about 20 deliveries. By then they had settled into their rhythm.
“So him coming in to bowl the fifth over when four overs have already been bowled and the batsmen have about 20 deliveries, means both batsmen have about 8-10 deliveries to settle. So wouldn’t it be better for Bumrah and for India if Bumrah bowls them first and gets them out?” he wondered.
Statistics support Gavaskar’s proposal. In the five matches in which Bumrah has played the power play in this tournament, he has taken four wickets. However, he rarely got more than one in the first six.
The battle between Bumrah and England’s top order could prove decisive. Gavaskar believes that getting Brook, Buttler and Salt out early would effectively neutralize England’s batting threat.
So what makes Bumrah such a devastating weapon across all formats? Gavaskar cited his ability to remain a mystery. He offered a fascinating analogy to tennis.
He was referring to Andre Agassi’s autobiography. The American revealed that he decoded Boris Becker’s serve by watching the position of his tongue when throwing the ball. If Becker’s tongue had been on the left, it would have served widely. If he was on the right side, he would serve down the center line.
“But in Bumrah’s case, he doesn’t give you anything. That’s why he’s very, very difficult to read. And because he kind of goes wide and then delivers the ball, you often tend to think it’s basically coming. But he can make the ball go away. So that’s why he was such a devastating bowler in all three ways,” Gavaskar had no doubt.
Bumrah’s unique action and release point make it almost impossible for him to decode the batter. He can throw the ball both ways without telegraphing his intentions. Unlike Becker’s language or the talents of other bowlers, Bumrah offers no clues.
A tactical question now looms over India’s strategy. Will captain Suryakumar Yadav heed Gavaskar’s advice? Will Bumrah field the over from the start?
England’s top order is energized. They are familiar with Indian conditions through IPL stints. Bumrah’s early spell could mean the difference between breaking through and allowing England’s dangerous batsmen to settle.
The answer to this question could well determine whether India will make it to the next World Cup final. It could also decide whether they deliver against their old rivals in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter in Mumbai.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
March 3, 2026 1:42 PM IST
