IPL 2020: "It's a cat and mouse game", Bumrah on countering sweat, dew amid UAE weather 

Jasprit Bumrah has taken 23 wickets in 13 matches in IPL 2020 so far.

Apart from facing up against some of the world's best T20 batsmen, Mumbai Indians (MI) ace quick, Jasprit Bumrah, said he has had to also counter the weather in UAE for his success in IPL 2020. 

Bumrah, who has found his best rhythm in the latter half of the tournament, stressed on the sweat as well as the dew factor and how they've affected him as a fast bowler while he is trying to execute his skills under pressure. 

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"The weather is changing now, but when we came here it was really hot so there was a lot of sweating," Bumrah told ANI. "Then it gets difficult to bowl with the wet ball and then when the dew sets in and then when you get to the (bowling) crease you start to slip there as well."

"So, it is difficult, so you have to practice a lot of things and find the other options. You think that okay if this ball is not working, what are the other options for me."

"You can practice with the wet ball (to counter dew), you can practice everything, but there are some days when the ball is really wet and you find it very difficult so you find other options which you can rely on."

"It is a cat and mouse game which you play and then you look to do the best you can for the team," added the 26-year-old, whose 23 wickets at an economy rate of 6.96 have been crucial to MI's surge as table-toppers. 

Bumrah also spoke on dealing with the saliva-ban amid the pandemic and reiterated that it isn't that difficult to cope with in white-ball cricket, especially in T20s where hard lengths, not swing movement, make an impact. 

"For me, it is not a big factor in white-ball cricket because the ball doesn't swing anyway a lot and the seam movement is also not much in the shortest format."

"So, you don't look to shine the ball a lot and it can only come into play when the surfaces are dry and you can reverse the ball. But it is not a major factor in white-ball cricket. I feel it is a much bigger factor in red-ball format," he added. 

Rested from MI's final league stage game on Tuesday (November 3), Bumrah will be seen back in action in the qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday.