New Delhi, March 3 (NationPress) Renowned former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that India should assign Jasprit Bumrah to bowl two overs during the powerplay in the semi-final of the Men's T20 World Cup against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. He emphasized that securing early wickets from the fast-bowling ace could significantly hinder the opposition's momentum.

Bumrah boasts the second-best economy rate (6.3) among bowlers who have bowled over seven overs in the Super Eights, having allowed only three sixes throughout the tournament. Unlike a conventional strategy, India has utilized Bumrah flexibly, deploying him as a key asset at crucial moments.

In the match against South Africa, he bowled two overs in the powerplay and another two towards the end. During the critical five-wicket victory against the West Indies in Kolkata, Bumrah bowled just one over in the powerplay while reserving three for later in the innings, where he unleashed his signature yorkers and subtle variations.

His influence was evident in the 12th over when he dismissed Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase within three deliveries. With India employing various strategies for Bumrah, this sets the stage for an intriguing tactical showdown against England's batting lineup, spearheaded by captain Harry Brook.

“Indeed, that will be exciting to observe. I strongly believe he should bowl at least two overs in the powerplay because as a new-ball bowler with a fresh ball, securing those early wickets or dismissing Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Harry Brook could effectively cripple the England batting order,” Gavaskar remarked in response to an inquiry from IANS during a discussion ahead of the DP World Celebrity Golf Event aimed at raising awareness for the CHAMPS Foundation.

On what makes Bumrah the most formidable bowler in cricket today, Gavaskar pointed to his continuous evolution and the almost impossible ability to disguise his variations.

“I'm relieved to be in the commentary box rather than facing him. What stands out with Jasprit Bumrah is the incremental enhancements he makes to his bowling skills. Initially, he predominantly bowled in-swingers to right-handers and natural away deliveries to left-handers.

“However, during India's tour to England in 2018, he showcased his ability to make the ball move into left-handers and away from right-handers. He consistently works to add new elements to his bowling, such as slower bouncers and yorkers, continually improving his arsenal,” he added.

Furthermore, Gavaskar highlighted that Bumrah offers minimal cues regarding his deliveries. “Due to his consistent run-up and delivery action, batters find it challenging to prepare. Generally, with most bowlers, you can observe slight signs from the non-striker's end as they transition from completing a delivery to their run-up. However, Bumrah keeps this to a minimum, making it difficult to read his intentions,” he explained.

He drew a compelling analogy between batters trying to decode Bumrah's bowling and tennis legend Andre Agassi reading Boris Becker's service patterns. “In Agassi's book, he describes how he figured out Becker's serves by watching subtle cues. But Bumrah gives away nothing, making him incredibly difficult to read, as he often sets up wide and then delivers the ball, leading batters to misinterpret its trajectory,” he elaborated.

Another factor favoring Bumrah's role in the powerplay is the dismal form of Jos Buttler, who has only managed 62 runs in seven innings at an average of 8.85. Indian fans will recall Buttler's impressive performances for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL during 2016 and 2017, as well as his 116 runs for the Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in 2022.

“He can be as dangerous as Abhishek Sharma. Therefore, capturing Jos Buttler's wicket is crucial, as we've seen in the IPL and ICC events, he can be a highly destructive player,” Gavaskar noted. “He's going through a rough patch, similar to how Samson and Suryakumar Yadav faced challenges recently. Let's hope he remains out of form on Thursday,” he added.

Gavaskar also addressed the potential threat posed by England's in-form all-rounder Will Jacks, which would depend on the pitch's turn and how well India's right-handers respond to him. Jacks has excelled in the tournament, familiar with the Wankhede conditions from his time with the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025.

Jacks earned player-of-the-match accolades in England's victories over Nepal, Italy, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand due to his all-around contributions, amassing 191 runs at a strike rate of 176.85 and taking seven wickets with his off-spin at an economy rate of 9.68.

“If the Wankhede pitch offers any turn, he could be a significant threat. How players like Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya manage him will be crucial. Right-handers may need to take on more of the batting against him, while left-handers like Abhishek, Tilak, Ishan Kishan, or even Shivam Dube may face fewer deliveries from him,” he noted. “Having a player like him batting at number seven is a significant advantage for England, akin to the benefit of having Shivam Dube at that position, who quickly alleviated pressure with two boundaries.”