While a young Indian cricket team will take Ireland in Dublin on Friday in the first match of a three T20I series, one man will be under maximum focus - Jasprit Bumrah. Once the spearhead of Indian pace attack, Bumrah has spent the majority of the last year on sidelines due to lower back stress fractures. In fact, Bumrah would be back with the 'Men in Blue' after a gap of 326 days, having last played in September 2022. Bumrah would become the 11th captain to lead India in T20Is. So, would it add extra pressure on the veteran pacer? Ex-BCCI selector Saba Karim gave an interesting take.
"This is the T20 format, I don't think it will add more burden on him. It will help him to understand his body better. I am looking at it from that direction. He would know. He would know, how many spells he can bowl with the new ball. He is playing three T20I games. Maybe he can bowl at different phases. Maybe he can start with the new ball. One over there and then in the middle over and then a couple of overs in the back end of the innings, he can do all that. This is one area where he will be happy to contribute. he has loads of experience. It will help him," Saba Karim said in a select media interaction organised by Jio Cinema.
On a question regarding Bumrah being a likely contender for white ball captaincy after this series, Karim said that the management is more
"I don't think it has come to that stage as of now. I think Indian selectors and team management are more concerned about Jasprit Bumrah's fitness level. That is the reason why he has been chosen in the squad. Whatever I have heard from NCA he has played a couple of match simulations. I don't think there is any thought more than his fitness level at this point in time," Karim
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