Former India coach Ravi Shastri thinks that Australia will target Jasprit Bumrah during the Perth Test, which is set to begin on November 22. The reason for this assumption is the fact that Bumrah will be captaining the Indian team in the second Test of his career. Rohit Sharma will also make a comeback for the match.
Bumrah downplayed the pressure yesterday, but he is sure to face intense pressure from the Australians, feels Shastri. Speaking on Star Sports, Shastri said: “The Aussies like to attack the leadership. Whosoever the captain is, they train their guns and their spotlights on the captain. If they can bring down the confidence of the captain, they feel that the confidence of the team comes down. The pressure will be on Bumrah—there’s no question about that.”
Talking on Bumrah’s maturity and competitiveness, Shastri said that the Australians would also understand he had the ability to put them in trouble. He said, “He’s a very mature cricketer. He’s a very competitive cricketer. Deep down, let’s not forget, he’s the best fast bowler in the world at the moment.”
According to Shastri, the key to India’s success against Australia will depend on how Bumrah keeps his composure and gets support from his fellow bowlers. “What I want to see from the outside is that he doesn’t over-try because of the pressure of being captain and just sticks to his strengths and bowls as if he’s an individual player playing in that team.
Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah Dethroned As No. 1 In ICC Test Rankings By Kagiso Rabada
Bumrah has played 7 Tests in Australia, taking 32 wickets, that showed he had the capability in challenging conditions.
