'This is not a Test match' - Kapil Dev advises Rohit Sharma to open bowling with Jasprit Bumrah in T20Is

The trend that was seen during IPL 2024 continued in the Indian team, as Jasprit Bumrah is yet to bowl with the new ball in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Skipper Rohit Sharma preferred Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj with the new ball in both matches so far, which infuriated former cricketer Kapil Dev as it believes that Bumrah should be the go-to bowler. 

The 1983 World Cup-winning captain noted that picking up early wickets is key in T20 cricket and believes that there’s no one better than Bumrah at the moment. He explained the importance of picking up wickets with the new ball and stated that the game could slip out of the hands by the time Bumrah came into the attack.

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“He needs to bowl the first over, he is a wicket-taking bowler. If you make him bowl the fifth or sixth bowler, the game can slip out of your hands,” the former Indian captain told ABP News.

“This is not a Test match. This is T20. The quicker you take wickets, the more pressure it puts on the opposition. It is better to have a positive mindset. If Bumrah opens the bowling and picks up a couple of wickets, life becomes easier for the other bowlers as well,” he added.

Bumrah proved all of us wrong: Dev

The legendary all-rounder admits that he didn’t expect Bumrah to play so much cricket. Given his action, the pacer suffered multiple injuries in his career and was sidelined for the majority of the time in the last couple of years, but he fought the battle and got back to his best. The former cricketer lauded him for doing the hard yard and stated that the pacer has proved everyone wrong.

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“We didn't think he'd be able to play so much cricket, because his action and the way he runs puts pressure on his body and shoulders. But he has proved all of us wrong,” he said.