On Jasprit Bumrah's Return After 11 Months, Glenn McGrath Gives Honest Verdict
Jasprit Bumrah will be playing for India in the Ireland T20I series later this month.
India's marquee pacer Jasprit Bumrah is all set to don the national team's jersey again, having been selected for the T20I tour of Ireland. Bumrah, who has been out of action for nearly a year, will understandably be under the spotlight, especially as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) looks to draft him into India's squad for the ODI World Cup. Australia legend Glenn McGrath, one of the finest pacers in the history of the game, isn't too optimistic about Bumrah's return considering the length of his absence.
"It depends on how the injury is and the sort of expectations he has. I think he will be fine since he is a quality bowler. The layoff will help him, I think. Fast bowlers need that layoff and time to get the strength back in their bodies. It depends on the work he has done off the field, how his back is and if he has done anything to his action. I think he has been there before and he has achieved it," McGrath told media while visiting the MRF Pace Foundation academy in Chennai on Monday.
Bumrah has been bowling in the nets for a while as he worked to gain full fitness at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. McGrath, like most of Bumrah's fans, is keen to see if the India pacer has made any tweaks in his bowling.
"I haven't seen him bowl. So, time will tell. Only he knows where he is now. So, I will be watching him keenly to see him get back to where he was. The effort and energy he puts in takes a toll on the body. If he has put enough work on the field, I can't see a reason why he cannot go back to being where he previously was," said McGrath.
Speaking of India's World Cup plans, McGrath is hoping it only takes Bumrah 'a few games' before he returns to his old self.
"He's got enough experience. He has enough games before the World Cup to test himself. Eleven months is a long time out of the game, but if you are coming off an off-season and you want to get into it, hopefully, that only takes a few games. Back when I played, we had an off-season. A break of two or 11 months doesn't make much of a difference. It's just about getting back into the swing," McGrath asserted.
India Cricket Team
Jasprit Bumrah