The Men in Blue will face Australia in the 2nd T20I on 23rd September in Nagpur. In a do-or-die match for India, the Rohit Sharma-led side will look to level the series after a defeat in the first one.
After a substandard bowling performance in Mohali, experts and fans raised their concerns over the team’s quality going into the World Cup.
Despite posting a total of 208, the bowlers looked clueless.
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar opined on the below-par bowling unit and highlighted the weakness that has persisted for years.
Notably, the defeat against Baggy Green was India’s third loss in the last four matches, and in all these defeats, the bowlers failed to defend.
Gavaskar said that being unable to defend the target has been a long persisting issue and is one of the key reasons behind the lack of ICC trophies since 2013.
He further highlighted the importance of Jasprit Bumrah and said, “When he is there, the team defends the total, but in his absence, they find it difficult. There must be a solution to it. Otherwise, it will hurt India.”
Bumrah was not included in the playing XI in Mohali as a precautionary measure. Also, out of the 27 T20I matches India played this year, Bumrah was a part of just three of them, which is a big concern for the team.
“Bumrah is an important member of the team. Maybe the management wants him to play when he is 100%.”