‘Bumrah will struggle in England’

Johannesburg, January 29

West Indies legend Michael Holding has serious doubts over Bumrah’s ability as a new-ball bowler. The former pacer said Bumrah’s specific skills do not make him an automatic choice in the playing eleven during India’s tour of England later this year. “I am not sure he is going to be a good new-ball bowler. He struggles to take the ball away from right-handers when bowling with new ball. So he wouldn’t be my first choice (on overseas tours). My first choice would always be Bhuvneshwar,” said Holding. 

“Then I would think about Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami. When India play in England, pitches will be drastically different to those in South Africa. I wouldn’t play Bumrah because he bangs the ball in. On those pitches, you need bowlers who get the ball kiss the surface and move it around.” 

Playing his maiden Test series, Bumrah picked his maiden five-wicket haul in the third Test. “He hits the deck hard and that’s why he got those two wickets in Centurion and the five-wicket haul at Wanderers. When he hits the deck hard, and the ball is keeping up and down, at his pace the batsmen do not have time to react,” Holding said. — PTI

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