VVS Laxman said he was a bit surprised that Jasprit Bumrah was not able to bowl a full-length and get the New Zealand batsmen to drive on Day 3 of the WTC final.
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Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman shared his opinions about pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s length on Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand on Sunday. Laxman said that he was surprised to see the pacer not bowl full-length deliveries to the Kiwi batters. Laxman was of the opinion that the batters for New Zealand did not have a long stride, and felt that bowling full might create openings for a wicket when they attempt a drive. He also said that the Indian pacers had failed to make the most of the overcast conditions in Southampton like the Kiwis. It is yet another example of how Indian teams struggle wherever they play in conditions like in England, especially against sides likes New Zealand.
“I was surprised that Bumrah was not able to change the length which is required to be effective in English conditions,” Laxman said on Star Sports.
“You want the batsmen to drive the ball through the covers in these conditions. You want to create that chance by getting that outside edge,” he added.
“Also, if you are making them hit the ball away from their body which majority of the New Zealand batsmen can do because they don’t take a long strike when playing front-foot drives. That when you create that pad and pad gap,” he continued.
The Indian seamers did bowl decent lengths and were able to deceive the Kiwi batters, but the wickets were not falling. The bowlers were simply not clinical enough as they do not play very much in such conditions. Laxman’s disappointment is not unfounded as the conditions in Southampton play wonderfully to the seamers’ favour. With the quality they have in their pace department, India should have made a lot more of the conditions, just like New Zealand did.
As for Jasprit Bumrah, his performance in the WTC final so far has not been suggestive of how good a bowler he actually is. Bumrah was also struggling for consistency in terms of his line and length and did not seem to adjust his bowling as per the movement the wind was causing. He bowled 11 overs overall and gave away 34 runs without any wicket so far.
Laxman’s opinion was seconded by former India all-rounder and batting coach Sanjay Bangar. He also said that the Indian pacers need to bowl fuller lengths to create trouble for the Kiwi batters. Otherwise, it seems all too easy for the Blackcaps. Skipper Kane Williamson and veteran Ross Taylor were at the crease as bad light forced the umpires to call stumps on Day 2.
“Yeah, I agree with Laxman. Ishant was able to derive the maximum swing and seam. For the majority of his cricketing career, Ishant has always been an inswing bowler. When an inswing bowler tends to go closer to the stumps, then he loses that swing quite a bit,” Bangar said.
“So one of the things that Ishant can also try is get slightly wider of the crease so that his inswing becomes more prominent. Then the one which holds the line could become a dreadful ball and for somebody like Kane Williamson, that could very well be an ideal bowler. If I have to give one piece of advice to Indian bowlers, especially Ishant and Bumrah, is that they have to bowl slightly wider of the crease,” he added.
