Home Cricket Shami can fit in as ideal replacement in place of Bumrah: Saba Karim

Shami can fit in as ideal replacement in place of Bumrah: Saba Karim

0
Shami can fit in as ideal replacement in place of Bumrah: Saba Karim

Former India wicketkeeper-batter and ex-member of the senior selection committee Saba Karim has said that Mohammed Shami could be the ideal replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia from October.

Shami hasn’t played international cricket since July this year and didn’t play a role in last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. In fact, the right-arm pacer has not played any T20Is since last year.

Read More: Siraj to replace injured Bumrah in T20Is against South Africa

However, speaking on Shami’s prospects of stepping up for India in Bumrah’s absence, Karim said, “I’ll go ahead with Mohammed Shami because he will find form although he hasn’t played but he’s that kind of bowler who once given an opportunity he can always step up and do the job for India. Plus, with this kind of experience, you need somebody at the top who can pick you wickets and you’ve seen Mohammed Shami in the last Indian T20 league (IPL 2022).”

Read More: Bumrah out of T20 World Cup with back stress fracture

“He’s such a bowler who can pick wickets with the new ball in the power play and India needs that. So, if Mohammed Shami can pick up early wickets with the new ball, that’s the kind of start India would need while defending the target or while trying to restrict the opposition from setting a huge target,” added Karim during a popular cricket experts talk show.

Karim said that Bumrah not featuring in the T20 World Cup 2022 is a big blow but also went on to add that India would have been prepared for such a situation. “Yes, he’s such a unique bowler. In the T20 format, you need someone who can bowl with the new ball and pick wickets and then can come back to finish his spell in the death overs. He’s extremely effective and plus his match awareness, he’s kind of part of the leadership group for the national side now. So yes, I think without him this will be a massive blow for India.”

Read More: Top 10 wicket-takers in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history

“But you know one can sense that the Indian team management and the Indian captain were kind of preparing for this. That’s why they thought of bringing in Mohammed Shami and they also have Deepak Chahar on stand-by. So, I think it’s good in a way that India played all these bilateral engagements without Jasprit Bumrah in the line-up.”

Speaking on the prospects of India’s pace attack delivering in the absence of big stars such as Bumrah, Karim said, “With the new ball, you do have some viable options. You have Bhuvneshwar Kumar, now what we saw in the last game, Arshdeep Singh can step up. We also have someone like Mohammed Shami.”

Read More: Top 10 highest run-scorers in T20 World Cup history

“But to bowl in the death overs especially under pressure, you need someone who’s aware of his abilities and he bowls according to that. So, in that sense, without Jasprit Bumrah, the other bowlers they really need to step up and do the job for India. That may not be so easy.”