Jasprit Bumrah may not have played a pink-ball Test match yet but the India fast bowler is always looking forward to doing new things on the field, according to former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond. Bumrah can be a handful if gets the pink ball in the much-talked-about twilight period, his Mumbai Indians mentor believes.
India will begin the much-anticipated 4-Test series in Australia with the day-night fixture in Adelaide from December 17. Virat Kohli will lead India for one last time on this tour but the focus has also been on India’s pace attack.
Australia have featured in 7 pink-ball Tests and won all of them but are facing India for the first time in a day-night tie. All eyes will be on the sunset period in Adelaide as the pink ball is expected to do a bit more than normal during twilight.
Bumrah not having played a pink-ball Test adds to the tension as the young India pacer will be looking to work his magic with the pink cherry as well. Also, it will be the first time Bumrah will be bowling in whites to Steve Smith, who is expected to lead the show for the Australians.
“Booms [Bumrah] has been out here before and been very successful but he’s still interested in different ways to do things. That’s one of his greatest strengths,” Bond told AAP.
“If he has the ball at the right time of night and it’s reasonably new then he can banana it both ways at 145k plus and do all sorts of damage.”
Bond, who is working with the Sydney Thunder in the ongoing Big Bash League season, is wary of Bumrah’s not-so-good start to the Australian tour. However, he backs the Mumbai Indians pacer to come good in the 4-Test series.
Bumrah struggled with the white-ball in the ODI series, picking up 4 wickets across 3 matches. However, there were signs of improvement as Bumrah troubled the Australia A batsmen with pace and swing in the pink-ball warm-up held at the Sydney Cricket Ground last week.
“He takes a great deal of pride in his performance and I know he’ll be annoyed he hasn’t quite got the results so far that he’s wanted. The wickets were pretty flat in the ODI series to be fair.
“I’m sure the tour is going to get better for Booms … he’ll be a real handful and is the sort of bowler who can very quickly change a game if he gets it right.”
