We are too dependent on Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah in ODIs: VVS Laxman

If there was one luxury that India rarely enjoyed in its glorious cricket history, then it has to be having a quality pace attack. India never remained behind to any other team in producing world-class openers, middle-order batsmen and spinners. However, they rarely produced pacers who could terrorise the opposition. The likes of Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath came like a fresh breath of air but they turned out to mere exceptions.

Well, the current scenario is different. Probably for the first time in their history, India possesses a bowling attack that is more than capable of unsettling any batting lineup. The likes of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and veteran Ishant Sharma have given Indian cricket a new identity.

The pace bowlers were one of the biggest reasons behind India’s fighting performance in England and South Africa this year. Although India lost both the series, they had a chance to win almost every game because of their pacers’ performance.

VVS Laxman apprehensive

But while the Indian pacers are making all the right noises, former India batsman VVS Laxman is apprehensive about the bowling line-up in ODIs. The legendary batsman feels that India are too dependent on Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar.

“We have a settled batting unit, but I am not too sure on the bowling front,” he told The Times of India.

“I am happy with the bowlers’ recent show with the red cherry, but as for white-ball cricket I feel they are still not ready, mainly in the pace bowling department,” Laxman added. “We have good spinners in (Yuzvendra) Chahal and Kuldeep (Yadav), but we are too dependent on Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar) and (Jasprit) Bumrah in ODIs. Whenever these two have been injured, the team has suffered.”

Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah have become the lynchpin of India’s bowling attack in limited-overs cricket. The two have played 30 ODIs together so far in which Bumrah has returned 49 wickets at 24.16 while Bhuvneshwar has 34 wickets at an average of 36.70.

In fact, India have lost just one ODI series in their last 11 assignments. The defeat came in England this year. Interestingly, Bumrah missed the assignment with an injury while Bhuvneshwar played just one game.

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~ Written by Bijoy

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