Jasprit Bumrah is back in the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 to be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The tournament will be played from September 9-28, with the Indian team being recently announced.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee announced a 15-member team with Bumrah back in the lineup and leading the attack. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side and Shubman Gill is the new vice-captain of India’s T20I side.
With no Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah will lead a young attack with Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana being the other pacers and Hardik Pandya being the fourth-seamer option.
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Better Look At How Many Matches India Won - Mohammad Kaif Silences Jasprit Bumrah's Critics
Bumrah has been consistently criticised since he missed the fourth Test against England. Incidentally, India won both the Tests at Edgbaston and Oval where Bumrah was rested and lost at Headingley and Lord’s. India managed to draw the fourth Test in Manchester with Bumrah in the playing XI. Fans have been criticising Bumrah and holding him responsible for India’s losses in Test cricket in recent times. India unfortunately, lost the Sydney Test against Australia as well, with him leading the side.
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has hit back at Bumrah’s critics, saying that he is the diamond of Indian cricket and that his contribution is misinterpreted. Kaif emphasised on Bumrah’s match-winning ability and pointed out how many matches he has won for India in the past.
“Open your mouth carefully because you mentioned that whatever matches we played in England, we lost when he (Jasprit Bumrah) played. You better look at how many matches he has played and India won them, go and find out that as well, regardless of the format. When he plays, how many times does he give match-winning performances? Go and find that stat as well. Bumrah is a promising diamond of India. You don’t report him. There are no stains on him," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif further dismissed Bumrah’s workload management concerns, saying that he will be easily able to 28 overs in the tournament. If India reaches the final, Jasprit Bumrah is likely to play all seven games and the former Indian cricketer sees him getting through all of them without any injury concerns.
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No Problem Bowling 28 Overs - Kaif On Bumrah
“I already said that Bumrah might not be seen playing long in Tests, but in white-ball cricket, if India comes in the [Asia Cup] final, then he might play seven games. He will bowl 28 overs, and I am speaking about a two or three-week-long tournament. There is no problem in bowling 28 overs; he will get time to recover. You can rest him in one odd match against Oman or weaker teams. After workload management and a break, he will be used. I think he won’t face any issues in bowling four overs. You need Bumrah in T20 because he can change the course of the game with his bowling,” he added.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be Bumrah’s return to T20I cricket since the T20 World Cup final in June last year. In between, he missed the T20I series against South Africa and England.
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