Jasprit Bumrah was brilliant in India’s Super Eight clash against South Africa but Mohammad Kaif feels the star speedster should have been handed the ball in the middle overs for one over at least.
The former India cricketer thinks India lost the match between the 7th and the 15th over when David Miller and Dewald Brevis were going strong and that partnership took the game away from India.
Kaif highlighted that former captain Rohit Sharma used Bumrah strategically and brought him into the attack after the powerplay to break partnerships.
“We lost the match between the 7th and 15th over. You used Bumrah’s two overs early and kept the remaining two for the death. But Rohit Sharma never used Bumrah like this,” Kaif was quoted saying on his YouTube channel.
“He bowled one over in the middle to break a partnership. There is a big gap between his spells. There is no bigger match-winner in this team than Bumrah. They need to bowl him for just one over in the powerplay, and then get him to bowl the 11th or 12th,” he added.
Bumrah finished with figures of 3 for 15, also Arshdeep Singh had a great outing with figures of 2 for 28 while the remaining India bowlers had a bad day at office. Bumrah dismissed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in the powerplay. He was next brought back into the attack in the 17th over and got the scalp of Corbin Bosch with South Africa in total control at 152 for 5.
The Proteas went on to put 187 for 7 on the board, a formidable target on a slow Ahmedabad track. India batters faltered in the chase to be bundled out for 111 in 18.5 overs. India’s defeat by 76 runs was their highest margin in the T20 World Cup history.
The defeat against South Africa has made life tough for India as they need to win their remaining Super Eight matches against Zimbabwe and the West Indies. Even then there is no guarantee of them making it to the last-four.
