India’s cricket team is taking a calculated risk in the Asia Cup, employing a new bowling strategy that sees star pacer Jasprit Bumrah delivering more overs early in the powerplay. This aggressive approach aims to dismantle the opposition’s top order, but it inevitably leaves the team’s death bowling options more vulnerable in the crucial closing overs. It’s a gamble head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav are willing to take, especially with the upcoming T20 World Cup in mind.
The tactical shift was evident during a recent intense training session in Dubai’s hot and humid conditions. Coach Adrian le Roux led several players through rigorous drills, including the demanding Bronco run. While rising stars like Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, and Jitesh Sharma pushed their limits, Jasprit Bumrah, after some fielding practice with coach T. Dilip, was seen honing his skills against Sanju Samson in the nets.
Bumrah, who was likely to be rested before the Super Four phase of the Asia Cup, went through his paces with a confident half-smile. He appeared far more at ease than during the strenuous Australia and England tours, where he often looked overworked. Unlike in longer formats, India’s depth in T20 cricket now affords him a crucial breathing space, allowing his four overs to be deployed like precious assets, strategically used to control the game.
Under former captain Rohit Sharma, Bumrah’s T20 blueprint revolved around adaptability: typically, one or two new-ball overs to target opposition openers, with the remainder saved for the death overs to shut down games. However, under coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, this script has been rewritten. Bumrah is now bowling three critical overs upfront, leaving just one for the high-pressure endgame.
So far, this bold gamble has paid off, with India securing early breakthroughs against UAE and Pakistan. Yet, it’s a strategy fraught with obvious risk. Without a second specialist death bowler, India remains vulnerable in the closing overs. With death-over specialist Arshdeep Singh left out and the three frontline spinners tasked with handling the middle overs, the margin for error is wafer-thin. One bad over at the back end could mean a 20-run finish – a risk India will have to accept until another player consistently nails that crucial finisher role.
This tactical tweak is therefore as much about future-proofing as it is about immediate results. By forcing Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube to shoulder the toughest overs at the death, India is providing them invaluable exposure to high-pressure situations, which could be vital preparation for the T20 World Cup.
Against Pakistan, however, the plan nearly backfired. Hardik Pandya was taken apart for 16 runs in the final over by Shaheen Shah Afridi, a bowler who typically bats lower down the order, who smashed him for two sixes and swung momentum back towards Pakistan. Afridi’s unexpected burst of 33 off 16 balls highlighted the potential struggles India could face against proper lower-order hitters.
Reflecting on the change, Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged the shift. “We’ve (mostly) bowled him two overs in the powerplay; he’s not bowled three in the powerplay (recently),” Surya said after the match against Pakistan. “We’re very happy using him as an attacking option. If he picks up two wickets – even if it’s just a tight three-over spell – it gives a cushion for our spinners to take over and make the job easier for them.”
Flexibility remains the team’s guiding principle. Surya insists the plan is not set in stone and could be tweaked based on conditions, opposition, and match situation. “He’s very happy with it (bowling three upfront),” Surya added. “Some days he may bowl only two, but at least the management and I want to use him as an attacking weapon. That gives a good platform for someone like Hardik or Dube to raise their hand and deliver in crucial overs.”
The ultimate test lies in whether this powerplay-first approach can withstand the might of teams like England or Australia, renowned for their explosive death-over hitting. For now, Team India is betting big on early wickets as the best defense, a bold strategy that promises an exciting, albeit risky, cricketing future.