Will Jasprit Bumrah be the biggest threat to the opposing teams in the T20 World Cup at home in February-March?
Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t think so.
The former off-spinner feels how the others tackle Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy will decide India’s fate in the showpiece event.
Bumrah had been adjudged Player of the Tournament in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph with 15 wickets.
“If any team wants to win the T20 World Cup in India, they will have to master two factors. I was saying until now that handling Jasprit Bumrah. But I will say right now, the way I have seen Tim David handle Varun Chakravarthy, I am thinking teams will gun for Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy if they have to get past India,” Ashwin said on his Youtube channel.
Ashwin feels that teams might target Abhishek with the same short-ball tactics that Australia are using against him.
“Against Abhishek, they will see this plan Australia have used against him in this series, and they will imbibe that. Whoever is coming for the World Cup will prepare similarly against Varun because that will give them the leverage in that World Cup,” he added.
Ashwin has come out in support of India captain Suryakumar Yadav, too, who has been facing a lot of flak because of his lean patch in T20Is.
Surya hit 20 off 10 balls in the fourth T20I in Carrara on Thursday as India won by
48 runs.
“Ten balls for 20 from Suryakumar Yadav was extremely valuable. I always think in T20 cricket, 10 balls for 20 at a 200 strike rate is more valuable. Even today, Abhishek and Shubman had a decent partnership at the top, so Surya came in and gave that amazing impetus and momentum. I would always think 10 balls for 20 is far more valuable than a strike rate of less than 125, 120, or 130 in a T20 game, unless, of course, you are chasing a total,” Ashwin said.
“If you are chasing and players are going all out, one side has to play in double gear... Everyone knew that 160 was a good score (in the fourth T20I versus Australia). The way Shubman paced the innings was the way he had to play, and he did that. So credit where it’s due, but I am happy with Surya’s 10-ball-20.”
