India clean swept the Kiwis 5-0 in the five-match T20I series in New Zealand. This was the first time that ever that a side had won every match in a five-game T20I series. India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was the star of India’s impressive win in the final T20I at Mount Maunganui as the visitors completed the clean sweep. He finished with exceptional figures of 3 for 12, including a maiden, as India emerged victorious in yet another contest after being behind in the game. During his memorable performance, Bumrah also broke the record for the most maidens bowled in T20Is. He now has seven to his name, going past former Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Kulasekara’s six.
To prove that he is only human, Bumrah had a horror game at Hamilton, conceding 45 runs in his four overs, and was also taken apart in the Super Over. He was steady in the other matches without being brilliant. However, by the time the series reached Bay Oval for the final match, he was back to his very best. Not for the first time, the Indian fast bowler stifled the Kiwi batsmen with his pace and accuracy, and completely put New Zealand on the backfoot despite the fact that they were well placed to chase a target of 164. Earlier in the series, after losing the first T20I, experienced New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor termed Bumrah as the best death bowler in the world.
What is it then that makes the Indian fast bowler so brutal in the format? First things first, it is Bumrah’s versatility that stands out in T20Is. He is often two steps ahead of the batsmen. Apart from a potent slower ball, he can also unsettle the opponents with unplayable yorkers. As a batsman, you never really know what to expect from him. Even at times when the batsman is expecting a yorker in the death overs, Bumrah is so brilliant with the execution that he can still pull it off. The challenge for the opposing batsmen is thus dual, to adapt to the slower ball as well as the faster one. A great illustration was on display in the match at Mount Maunganui as India clinched the match, coming from behind for the third game in a row.
Accuracy is one more major strength of Bumrah. The 26-year-old rarely gets hit for too many runs, thus building up constant pressure on the opposition batsmen. The off-day he had at Hamilton was more of an aberration. If you look at his record in T20Is, it is nothing short of phenomenal. He is the leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is with 59 wickets in 50 matches at an average of 20.25 and an excellent economy rate of 6.66. Bumrah’s strike rate of 18.2 is also highly commendable and reiterates that he is a genuine match-winner. The emergence of the likes of Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur as well as the return of Mohammed Shami gives India a cutting edge heading into the World T20, where Bumrah will be the leader of India’s bowling attack if fit.
Speaking of fitness, a lot of concerns were raised when Bumrah got injured, with a stress fracture in the lower back late last year. Even legendary former Indian fast bowler Kapil Dev had stated some months back that Bumrah’s bowling action is not technically sound and hence he is vulnerable to injuries. As far back as 2016, former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed had claimed that Bumrah would find it difficult to play injury-free cricket for a long time. However, the Indian pacer has managed to make an impressive comeback, against all odds. Whether he can prove the likes of Kapil and Javed wrong in the long run only time will tell.