Gautam Gambhir finally reveals why Jasprit Bumrah bowls 3 overs in powerplay in T20Is

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up about ace pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah bowling three overs with the new ball in T20I cricket. Gambhir stated that the decision to use Bumrah in the powerplay was part of a broader strategy to establish an attacking approach with both bat and ball.

Gambhir used Bumrah for three overs inside the powerplay in recent matches. The right-arm pacer was last seen in action in the five-match T20I series against Australia, where he took three wickets in three innings at an economy rate of 6.58. The Men in Blue won the series 2-1, while two matches were called off.

Bowling Jasprit Bumrah for Three Overs in the Powerplay… - Gautam Gambhir

In a video released by the BCCI, Gautam Gambhir spoke about the team’s strategy in T20 cricket. He said that using Jasprit Bumrah for three overs in the powerplay was a bold move to make India an all-round, aggressive side.

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"I think a lot of people relate to this T20 side as a very aggressive batting lineup. For me, bowling Jasprit for three overs in the first six was an even more aggressive option with the ball. We don’t want to be a side that’s only known as an aggressive batting order. We want to be known as an aggressive team overall," Gambhir said.

It Really Worked Well for Us Because Bowling Jasprit Bumrah… - Gautam Gambhir

The head coach revealed that they first implemented Jasprit Bumrah's bowling three overs in the powerplay during the Asia Cup. Gambhir added that it also allowed spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav to operate more freely in the middle overs.

"No one has ever bowled Jasprit for three overs in the first six. We wanted to go that way, to see how it pans out and where it takes us in the future," Gambhir stated.

"I thought that in the Asia Cup, it really worked well for us because bowling Jasprit in the first three overs often helps us win the powerplay. Then, with two wicket-taking options in the middle, Varun and Kuldeep, it gives them the freedom to bowl aggressively and keep taking wickets."

I Felt It Was a Very Aggressive Approach - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir said that the team aims to stay aggressive in both batting and bowling. He added that this mindset of staying in the moment and adapting to what unfolds on the field defines the team’s new approach.

"That was one of the reasons behind the move. I felt it was a very aggressive approach, not only with the bat but also with the ball. That’s how we want to play the game, focusing on where we are at the moment rather than thinking about what might happen in the 17th or 18th over. You play the game by staying in the present because no one knows what will happen in the future. We see, we play what we see," Gambhir said.

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