‘I would still back Bhuvneshwar Kumar to deliver at the death’ – Mathew Hayden throws his weight behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar following his below-par performance against Australia
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been facing huge backlash for his poor showing with the ball in the recently concluded Asia Cup and also in the first T20I against Australia. Kumar has been brilliant in the power play, however, how ability to bowl at the death has invited a lot of criticism.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not have a good Asia Cup. Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave away 19 runs against Pakistan in the 19th over and followed it with another expensive 14-run penultimate over in the crunch game against Sri Lanka.
The same happened two days earlier against Australia where he bowled two overs at the death. His line was either down the leg side or it was too wide outside the off stump which gave the batters ample room to score runs. This did not please the fans one bit and they blamed Kumar behind India’s defeat against Australia.
Former Australian batter, Mathew Hayden, however, looked at it differently. He said that Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s bowling at the death is not a new thing for him and that he has done it several times in the past. He has the skills and has got what it takes to bowl at the death.
Mathew Hayden backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to deliver at the death if he is asked to. He believes that the Indian pacer would come back strong and do what it takes to put a strong performance with the ball.
“I disagree with that. I think he can and has been a very good finisher. I think that is his role. I mean, obviously, his role is to take wickets up front but if your skipper wants an over or two from you at the end, then he can do that,” Hayden said while speaking on Star Sports show ‘Match Point’.
