India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said on Thursday that the return of Jasprit Bumrah has strengthened their pace unit and it is nice to have four fully fit fast bowlers heading into next month’s World Cup. During the recent tour to Ireland, Bumrah donned India’s colors after a long injury layoff and also impressed with his intensity during the ongoing Asia Cup. “We have been monitoring Bumrah’s progress from the NCA and we are very happy with the report we have received.
“Now we have four quality bowlers and it’s always great to have those options. The problem of plenty is always good,” Mhambrey said ahead of India’s final Super 4 match against Bangladesh on Friday.
However, India’s pace attack is now centered around Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Hardik Pandya, forcing the management to bench Mohammed Shami.
“It’s not that easy to drop someone like Shami. The experience he has and the performances he has done for the country are phenomenal. It’s never easy to have such a conversation (dropping a player)” , he said.
Mhambrey said that while it was a difficult choice, the player involved was clearly informed of the team’s decision.
“But we are clear in the way we started the conversation with the players and they have shown confidence in us.
“Players know every decision we make and they know it is for the benefit of the team,” Mhambrey said.
The former Indian pacer was also delighted with the progress Pandya has made as a bowler in recent times.
“I am very happy with the way Hardik has developed, something we have been working on for a long time. We have managed his workload and ensured that he is fit and able to achieve what we expect from him.
“Once he reaches 140 km per hour, he is a different bowler. From a team perspective, taking wickets that we have is an option,” Mhambrey added.
Mhambrey also said that the Indian team has undertaken the process of developing the bowling skills of some batsmen so that they have more options to choose from when the need arises.
Tilak Varma plays a prominent role in that plan.
“I have been working with Tilak since his U-19 days. We were in South Africa and we realized that he has bowling skills. We are working on it consistently.
“If the captain gets confident that he can bowl one over and deliver, then this one over can turn into two overs. But it depends on the circumstances where we need that extra bowler,” he said.
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