Death bowling has become a cause of concern for the Indian cricket team ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and it was badly exposed during the first T20I, where the hosts failed to defend 208 runs against Australia in Mohali on September 20.
Experienced seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel proved too costly for Team India, as Australia easily won the first T20I by 4 wickets in Mohali.
As India’s death bowling increases team management’s worries, Sunil Gavaskar said that this issue has been with the team for the last few years.
The former Indian skipper further said that if the Men in Blue want to start winning big tournaments, they must find an immediate solution to the death bowling issue in T20I cricket.
Sunil Gavaskar said on Sports Tak: “This is India's weakness. This isn't a new problem. It has existed for a few years now that when they are defending, they find it difficult without Bumrah. When he is there, the score can be defended but without him, they give away even 200-plus totals. Having said that, we need to look at the solution for it. Else, going forward, it may hurt them.”
India clearly missed the services of Jasprit Bumrah during the first T20I against Australia, as he was given rest to have enough time to get back into the field after recovering from a back injury.
However, the former Indian skipper said that even if Bumrah is fit, the team must still solve the death bowling issue, otherwise, it would be really tough to win matches while defending any target in T20Is.
Gavaskar signed off by saying, “About his (Bumrah's) fitness, I feel that since he is such an important member of the team, the management wants him to be entirely fit and only then he be picked in India's XI. Maybe he plays in Nagpur, or maybe he doesn't. But here is the thing. When the Indian team is chasing a target, they win matches. But it's the opposite the other way around. The bowling that is needed between Overs 16 and 20, they still don't have it.”
