Jasprit Bumrah Needs to Skip IPL and Instead Play County Cricket During that Time - Wasim Akram

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has suggested team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah skip this year’s Indian Premier League and instead play a month’s country cricket in England to improve on his skills.

India will be up against England over five Tests in England next summer. Considered one of the greatest exponents of swing bowling during his career, Akram has kept a close look on the Indian quicks especially during their 2-1 series defeat against the Proteas pretty recently.

Akram said Bumrah is a sort of a bowler who can benefit from bowling fast away from India especially if he wants to continue and make a mark in Tests in the long run.

“If Bumrah plays at least a month of the county every year, trust me, he will be a better bowler. But then Indian board has to tell Bumrah to forego a month’s IPL and play county cricket,” Akram, was quoted as saying by PTI during the sidelines of an Ice Cricket Match at St Moritz in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Akram has agreed with the recent assessment made by former Windies great Michael Holding that Bumrah’s hit the deck policy won’t work in English pitches.

“I agree with Mike that you can’t hit the deck on English surfaces, but that would only come with experience. Look, the BCCI doesn’t allow India’s main stars to play county cricket. If Bumrah can learn how to straighten the ball after pitching coming from wide off the crease, more often than not, it will be his wicket-taking delivery. He just needs to use a bit of wrists for that.”

Akram also heaped praises on swing master, Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has been one of the most consistent bowlers for India across all three formats in the recent times. Bhuvneshwar finished with 10 wickets in the two Tests against the Proteas at an impressive average of 20.30.

“Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been the most impressive pacer in South Africa, in Test and ODIs, as far as my assessment goes. He was getting the ball to swing both ways. He has increased pace now and has become all the more effective,” Akram said.

India is scheduled to play five Tests, three ODI’s and as many T20I’s in their long and gruelling tour of England starting from July.

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