Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his concerns about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s form in the Indian Premier League 2021 season. The Sunrisers Hyderabad seamer has looked off the boil in the tournament.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has picked up just five wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 8.52, with 1/16 being his best figures. With the ICC T20 World Cup in sight, Aakash Chopra is slightly worried about the seamer’s form.
In a chat with Espncricinfo, Aakash Chopra elaborated on his concerns for the Indian team in the pacer bowling department. He said:
“I am deeply concerned for a variety of reasons. India has only picked three pacers and two of them are going to play. Bumrah is your first-choice bowler and Shami has the tendency of blowing hot and cold in the white-ball format. Bhuvneshwar should be the first-choice alongside Bumrah.”
Bhuvi’s form is a concern. There’s a lot of class in him. But current form isn’t giving much confidence ahead of the World Cup. Hope Class will eventually come to the fore… #IPL2021
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 30, 2021
If the World Cup was starting tomorrow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar doesn’t walk into my playing eleven: Aakash Chopra
The former cricketer also opined Bhuvneshwar Kumar would have not been in his starting XI if the T20 World Cup was to be starting tomorrow. He stated that instead, that the seamer does not look in form. Aakash Chopra said,
“But if the World Cup was starting tomorrow, he doesn’t walk into my playing eleven and I’ll have to go with Shami because he’s not showing me any form. Of course, there’s a lot of class there. We’ve seen some stellar bowling performances from Bhuvneshwar where he’s bowled with the new ball and picked up wickets. He’s then come back to bowl economically at the death.”
Aakash Chopra further pointed out that India has struggled to pick wickets with the new ball in white-ball cricket. He also added that Hardik Pandya, not bowling has added to India’s woes.
“India has stopped picking wickets with the new ball in white-ball cricket and it’s been a while now. Hardik hasn’t bowled a single over either. If the World Cup was starting tomorrow, I don’t want to be Virat Kohli at this point in time,” Aakash Chopra signed off.
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