Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel highlighted a critical issue in the ongoing Test series: Jasprit Bumrah’s new ball struggles are being amplified by a lack of support from other bowlers.
Bumrah’s New Ball Challenge
India found themselves trailing in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, partly due to Jasprit Bumrah’s inability to take early wickets with the new ball. This trend, which began in the previous Test at Birmingham, continued to haunt the team.
England’s openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, capitalized on this, smashing 166 runs in just 32 overs. Their blazing start put England firmly in control of the decisive Test match.
The Call for Teamwork
According to Morne Morkel, India’s pace spearhead needs more assistance from his teammates. He believes that for Bumrah to be truly effective, partnerships are crucial.
“For him to be successful, we need to build partnerships,” Morkel explained. “The other guys need to help him out.”
Morkel suggested that some bowlers might be “a little bit greedy,” trying to do too much themselves. This approach, he noted, can lead to leaking runs and releasing the pressure Bumrah builds. “You can’t say anything about Bumrah, he’s number one in the world, he’s skillful. At times you need help from the other end,” he added.
Decoding Day Two’s Bowling Blunders
Day two was particularly challenging for India, as the game truly slipped away. Morkel attributed this to poor execution and bowlers being “greedy” in their approach.
He addressed the decision to prefer debutant Anshul Kamboj over Mohammed Siraj with the new ball. Morkel clarified that Siraj often bowls first change, and the choice was made based on Kamboj’s strength with the new ball alongside Bumrah.
However, Morkel stressed that the main issue wasn’t the combination, but the execution. “Our execution let us down,” he stated. He observed an unusual leakage of runs from both sides of the pitch, indicating a deviation from their plans. This, he suggested, led to India “chasing the game a little bit.”
Managing the Ace Bowler’s Workload
The conversation also touched upon Bumrah’s workload. Morkel acknowledged that as the team’s primary strike bowler, Bumrah would often be asked to bowl longer and harder to secure breakthroughs.
England boasts a powerful batting line-up, making Bumrah’s role even more critical. Morkel emphasized that the first 20 balls for any batter are crucial, and Bumrah is the one who can consistently ask tough questions. Therefore, he will continue to be relied upon heavily to deliver for the team.
- Jasprit Bumrah’s new ball struggles are a key factor in India trailing the Test.
- Morne Morkel believes other Indian bowlers need to provide more support to Bumrah, avoiding “greedy” individual efforts.
- Poor execution and strategy deviation on Day 2 contributed significantly to England’s strong lead.
- Bumrah, as India’s strike bowler, will continue to face a heavy workload against strong opposition.
