Former India goalkeeper-batsman and senior men’s selection committee member Saba Karim feels the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel will provide timely benefits for the team going forward. After recovering from injuries at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, both Bumrah and Harshal recently returned via the three-match T20I series against Australia, which India won 2-1.
Karim told ‘Sports Over The Top’: “I can understand that he is coming back from a long injury and needs some time to bowl well. Jasprit Bumrah will be very effective in any match he plays.”
“I’m sure Jasprit Bumrah, the kind of bowling combination he has at the moment, and Harshal Patel, both of them can do well for India at the right time,” he said.
Bumrah looks absolutely fit and even fired Aaron Finch with a yorker in Nagpur. But he is yet to get back into the old groove of him, which includes 0/50 from Cameron Green and Tim David in his four overs, their highest runs in T20 cricket so far.
Meanwhile, Harshal went 49 runs without a wicket in four overs at Mohali. He then conceded 32 runs in two overs at Nagpur and then took 1/18 at Hyderabad, dismissing David by just seven runs. In the three match series, Harshal’s economy rate was 12.37.
Karim noted that the T20 format has its ups and downs, bowlers need to regain their dominance and experience to come back from injury.