‘I am a big fan of him but…’ – Legendary pacer Glenn McGrath gives key advice to Jasprit Bumrah ahead of his comeback against Ireland
Considered one of the finest fast bowlers in the current generation, Jasprit Bumrah is a master at challenging and wrecking the opposition batting line-up consistently with his fiery deliveries. The 29-year-old’s unique bowling action and accuracy on line and length have helped him evolve into a key player in all formats of the game, but this has hampered his career as he has been plagued by injuries.
In the last four years, Bumrah has been injured in a number of ways, most recently a second stress fracture in the back, which sidelined him for nearly a year. He underwent surgery in March and will return as captain in the T20I series against Ireland later this month. With the ODI World Cup around the corner, everyone is keeping a close watch on Bumrah’s return as the pace spearhead’s participation is crucial for Team India.
Bumrah’s comeback has also excited the legendary pacer Glenn Mcgrath, who admitted that he is a big fan of the Indian seamer. However, the former Australian speedster is worried about Bumrah’s constant injuries and advised the Ahmedabad cricketer on how to prolong his career.
“He (Bumrah) has been incredible for India. His bowling stats, the wickets he has taken, and the way he bowls, I am a big fan but his bowling action puts a lot of stress on his body. So he needs to stay strong and fit. If he does that he could play for a few more years,” McGrath said.
It is getting harder to play all three formats: McGrath
Bumrah plays for India in all formats of the game and is also leading the pace attack for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. McGrath believes Bumrah still has years left in his career but needs to manage his workload by ditching one of the formats.
“With the current international schedule and the IPL, there is no off-season anymore for a fast bowler, especially for someone like Jasprit, who needs an off-season to pull his strength back in. So that’s a decision he needs to make himself (on whether to give up on one of the formats). It is getting harder to play all three formats. That is something Jasprit will have to think about moving forward because what he does is unique and is quite tough on his body too. I think he has a lot more to offer for the rest of his career,” the 53-year-old added.
