‘Helpful’ Nehra will light up dressing room, says Bumrah
RANCHI: Jasprit Bumrah has become India’s premium fast bowler in the limited-overs formats in a short time. Despite the presence of more experienced pacers, it is Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who are preferredinthebluejersey.Andthey have met the expectations too.
With India set to play six ODIs andnineT20sthisyear,Bumrah willbeexpectedtocarrythelion’s share of the burden to maintain India’s winning momentum.
On the eve of India’s first T20I against Australia in Ranchi, the 23-year-old pacer acknowledged the responsibility that comes with playing for India, irrespectiveofformats.Andhesaiditwas uptotheindividualstomakeuse of the chances.
“When you are playing for India, you don’t need any kind of(extra)drivebecauseyouare very happy. Any format, you love representing your country. Wheneveryouareplayingfor India,youhavearesponsibility, you have to live up to it,” said Bumrah.
“ODI and T20 cricket are slightly different, but in the situations where I bowl, it’s s im i lar becauseofthe death overs.”
Bumrah is part of an Indian cricket team that emphasises on fitness like never before. From captain Virat Kohli to coach Ravi Shastri to chief selector MSK Prasad, the Indian cricket team has put fitness above everything else.
In fact, Yuvraj Singh and SureshRainahavereportedlynot been able to make the national squad due to poor fitness.
Whenaskedifthepressureon a fast bowler is more to maintain fitness, Bumrah said: “Everybody requires fitness nowadays. It’s not only the fast bowlers. Withtheamountofcricketweare playing these days, everybody has to be fit.
It’s the responsibility of every individualto keep themselves fit, to look after the diet and training. The fast bowlers need to put in extra effort sometimes, but if you are not fit, you won’t be able to survive.”
Ashish Nehra made a comebackat38andBumrahwashappy tobeguidedbytheleft-armpacer. “He is a experienced player. We played togetherattheWT20 as well. I enjoy playing with him. He is very helpful to youngsterslikeme,”
he said.