Munaf Patel hails Jasprit Bumrah; backs India as one of top World Cup contenders

Member of India’s World Cup-winning team in 2011 Munaf Patel has lauded successor Jasprit Bumrah besides predicting the Men in Blue as one of the top contenders for the ICC World Cup to be held in England and Wales from May to July. While India are currently ranked the second-best team in ODIs, just behind WC hosts England, Bumrah is at present the No.1 bowler in the same format.

The 25-year-old pacer with a skiddy style has not only grown as a lethal weapon for India in white-ball cricket since making his debut in 2016 but also in the red-ball variant. Recently, Bumrah took 21 wickets in a four-match Test series against Australia Down Under to help India clinch the series 2-1. It was their maiden Test series win on Australian soil.

Bumrah a quick learner, a confident guy

“Jasprit Bumrah is a quick learner. Thanks to Mumbai Indians for giving him a chance. He learned slower and yorker deliveries from Lasith Malinga in Mumbai Indians and then also worked with Shane Bond and Zaheer Khan. He is a confident guy and is always ready to learn from others,” Patel, one of the fastest bowlers India have produced, told Sports Tak in an exclusive interview, adding that the young bowler has also worked on his fitness.

Speaking about India’s chances in the upcoming WC, Munaf, a member of the squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni that had conquered the world in 2011, said the Asians have a strong team now and that makes them one of the top favourites to win the cup, for the third time.

India’s first match in the showpiece event is on June 5 when they take on South Africa at Rose Bowl, Southampton.

“India’s batting has always been strong but our bowling has also become very strong now. We have been winning matches and series overseas and that will boost the team’s morale ahead of the World Cup. We have a strong team and that makes us one of the top contenders to win the World Cup,” Munaf, who took 125 international wickets between 2006 and 2011, said.

The former India cricketer said pitches in England will help fast bowlers and India have quite a few quality ones. He also said that the team’s spinners were of top-class and that made the side a formidable one.

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