The Indian cricket team left for Australia for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022 on Thursday (October 6) without Jasprit Bumrah after he was ruled out of the tournament with a stress fracture in his back. However, India hasn’t yet named Bumrah’s replacement for the event.
Bumrah’s unavailability for the T20 World Cup 2022 left many worried, but former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja believes that it will not have a big impact on Team India’s performance in the showpiece event in Australia, as the Men in Blue did a brilliant job even without the speedster this year.
Ajay Jadeja was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz, “We played very few games with Jasprit Bumrah, and India still managed to do well. From that point of view, India shouldn't have that much of a problem. Of course, you cannot replace Bumrah, not even try to go close to that, because he is so special that you will miss him.”
He further compared the Indian team’s current situation with Pakistan’s situation in the 1992 ODI World Cup, when the Men in Green had lost their key pacer Waqar Younis just before the tournament, but they managed to script history by winning the trophy under Imran Khan.
Jadeja further explained his point, “Just to give you an assurance, (especially) to people who are young. 30 years ago, there was another World Cup in Australia in 1992. The team that won the World Cup had a similar thing happening to them. A man called Waqar Younis in that period was the finest bowler in that format, just like Bumrah. He was a very attacking bowler.”
He concluded, “He missed out on the World Cup just before that with a back injury, very similar to Bumrah. But at the end of the day, Pakistan happened to win the World Cup. I'm hoping that happens to India as well. 30 years later, back to Australia. Last time it was our neighbors, this time, it might come to us.”
