Former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel said India should open their bowling attack with Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. Bumrah will return to the playing XI after he was rested in the second Test match at Edgbaston to manage his workload.
Patel said it is a no-brainer that Shubman Gill should give the first over to Jasprit Bumrah. The gun fast bowler had also returned with figures of 5-83 in the first innings of the opening Test.
On the other hand, Akash Deep had bagged 10-187 in the second Test, which are the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in English conditions. Deep returned with 4-88 in the first innings and then took 6-99 in the second essay.
“I would give Jasprit Bumrah the first over itself. We have seen how the English media and everyone have been actually terrorized by Jasprit Bumrah. If you hear Jasprit Bumrah’s name, players don’t want to face him. So I would definitely give him that first over,” Parthiv Patel said on Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blue’.
Patel backed Deep to share the new ball with Bumrah in the third Test.
“Akash Deep, definitely, will share that ball with him, but when you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, why do you want to wait? Looking at India’s approach, they wanted to field first in the second Test match. Here also, if it’s a green top, if you want to take advantage of a green surface, you want to unleash your best weapon, and that is Jasprit Bumrah,” Parthiv Patel observed.
Patel highlighted that India were able to win the second Test without the services of Bumrah in the final XI.
“Thinking from a player’s point of view, sometimes you would say that Jasprit Bumrah has come back into the playing XI, and he will do all the heavy lifting, but remember, India have won a Test match without Jasprit Bumrah,” he replied.
In the second Test, Deep and Siraj collectively bagged 17 out of the 20 wickets as they were right on the money.
“On a flat track where the England team have complained about it being a subcontinental pitch, most of the wickets were taken by fast bowlers, in this case, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj. To me, more than that skill, it is about what they are thinking. They should be thinking that they can make an impact as good as Jasprit Bumrah,” Parthiv Patel elaborated.
The third Test match between India and England will be played at Lord’s, London from 10th July onwards.
