New Delhi, May 30: Team India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is a very rare talent. He has been around for a few years. But even the best batters in the world often get fooled by his tricks, pace, swing, accuracy, lethal yorkers and well directed bouncers.
He was almost at his best in India's campaign in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.
He and his pace twin Mohd Shami, played a key role in India registering 10 consecutive wins in the ODI World Cup 2023, though the hosts failed in the final to beat Australia.
Bumrah was also the star performer in the Test series against major oppositions in the recent times.
In Shami's absence due to injury, Bumrah will hold the key to India's campaign in the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Australia cricket legend Ricky Ponting has predicted that Bumrah will be the leading wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
Worth mentioning that Bumrah missed the 2022 edition of the tournament in Australia due to a back injury which later needed surgery. Bumrah comes into the showpiece event after taking 20 wickets in 13 games for Mumbai Indians, with an astonishing economy rate of 6.48.
"My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah. I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He's just come off an outstanding IPL. What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up.
"But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over. He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I'm going with him," Ponting told The ICC Review show.
He also believes Australia's left-handed opener Travis Head could be the top run-scorer in the upcoming tournament. Head, the Player of the Match in last year’s ODI World Cup final, scored 567 runs in 15 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 at a strike-rate of 191.55, though he struggled for runs at the back end of the tournament.
"My prediction for the leading run-scorer will be Travis Head. I just think everything he's done, whether it be red-ball or white-ball in the last couple of years, has been of the highest quality. I think he's playing fearless cricket at the moment.
"His IPL had its ups and downs, but when it's been good, it's been very good. And it has won games of cricket for his team. And it'll be exactly the same for Australia - so, look, he might not be the most consistent on the way through this tournament.
"But he'll be right up there, I'm sure, with the leading run scorers. And as I've said, if he spends any amount of time at the wicket for Australia, he'll win more games than ever," added Ponting.
The 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup will begin on June 1, with the opening match between co-hosts USA and Canada at Dallas. Australia will open campaign against Group B opponents Oman at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 5. India also play their first game of the competition on the same day, against Ireland at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York.
If Ponting's guess comes true and Bumrah becomes the highest wicket taker in the T20 World Cup 2024, then Team India would certainly dream to win the coveted T20 World Cup trophy again.
India have won the ICC T20 World Cup only once in 2007 in the inaugural edition. (With IANS support)
