Bumrah can be a good asset on the Newlands track during first Test, says Nehra

FORMER INDIA PACEMAN Ashish Nehra believes that Jasprit Bumrah should be handed his debut Test cap when the visitors play South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town on January 5.

Nehra, who recently hung his boots from all formats of the game, reckoned that Bumrah can be a good asset on the Newlands track. As reported by PTI, the Delhi-lad said, 

“Jasprit Bumrah can be a good choice for the first Test in Cape Town. I don’t know what’s there in the team management’s mind but he is the kind of bowler, who can be an asset on the Newlands track during the first Test.” 

Nehra explained the various weapons that Bumrah could add to Indian bowling armory.

“We have seen Bumrah primarily in white ball cricket but just go back a year and check out how many overs he had bowled for Gujarat in Ranji Trophy. He has the most lethal yorker among the five pacers along with good slower ones. Also he has an awkward high-arm action, which can be very difficult to pick initially. All these factors work in Bumrah’s favour.”

The 38-year-old mentioned that his personal top choice pacers remain Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.

“Shami is your strike bowler but he will at the maximum bowl six over spells at one go. He is your main weapon and you have to use him judiciously. Now people raise questions about Ishant Sharma’s strike-rate but it needs to be realised that what he brings to the table. Ishant is a bowler, who can stifle batsmen bowling over after over from one end. That is a quality that a lot of bowlers don’t have. There have been times that Ishant has created pressure from one end and it has helped bowlers from other end get wickets.”

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