Is the Indian cricket team in trouble? Is Jasprit Bumrah injured for the Brisbane Test? That might be the case, says former Australian bowler Damien Fleming. For the unaware, Bumrah had felt some discomfort in his thigh in the 81st over of Australia’s 1st innings. He had a quick treatment and was good to go.
Jasprit Bumrah injured?
All seemed well. But then, in the second innings, Bumrah bowled just one over, and his speed was significantly down. Many feared that Bumrah had injured himself, but a common thought was that since Australia was chasing just 19 runs, the unorthodox pacer wasn’t giving it his all.
Morne Morkel, India’s assistant coach, cleared the air around the matter in the press conference after the match. “Firstly, with Bumrah, he’s fine; it was just this cramp. Yeah, even because after that, you know, he bowled, and you got the wickets twice,” Morkel had said in Adelaide.
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Bemused Bumrah bowled: Fleming
But Fleming isn’t having any of it. He feels the discomfort that Bumrah felt wasn’t a cramp. He feels India has made Australia aware of their weakness, and it’s something that Pat Cummins and co. can exploit in the India vs Australia 3rd Test. The obvious plan now would be to play Bumrah out somehow and then go hard at the other pacers. They managed to do it in Adelaide and would love to replicate that in Brisbane as well.
“There’s no way that’s (a) cramp. He was very ginger after the break in the first innings. He bowled again, not quite as slow in the second innings. I don’t even know why he bowled that over (in the second innings). That actually gave some secrets away to everyone. Siraj might be workload (related), but I’m bemused Bumrah bowled that over. They could have hidden this. They showed their hand,” Fleming said while speaking on SEN Radio.
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