For years, Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s biggest match-winner across formats – but on Sunday night against Pakistan – Jasprit Bumrah seemed a little off colour. Jasprit Bumrah conceded 45 runs in his quota of four overs, and to make his figures look worse – Jasprit Bumrah did not pick up a wicket. Now, that rarely happens. Despite that, India won the game against Pakistan convincingly and with that they have bought themselves a little cushion in the Super 4 stage of the ongoing Asia Cup.
India overcame Pakistan in a thrilling Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 encounter at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.The Men in Blue successfully chased down 172 in 18.5 overs to yet again show their dominance.Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan’s 45-ball 58 powered Pakistan to 171/5 in 20 overs. In a surprising affair, India’s Jasprit Bumrah was hit for 45 runs in four over.
Only once has Jasprit Bumrah conceded 50-plus runs in a T20I. The right-arm seamer did so in the 2022 Hyderabad T20I against Australia. He conceded 50 runs without taking a wicket. Being invited to bat, Australia racked up 186/7 in 20 overs. Despite Jasprit Bumrah’s expensive spell, India won the match by six wickets (with a ball remaining). Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav smashed half-centuries.
Jasprit Bumrah, in his first year of international cricket (2016), was taken to cleaners by the West Indies batters. In the historic Lauderhill encounter, Jasprit Bumrah conceded 47 runs despite taking two wickets. As a result, the hosts posted a mammoth 245/6 in 20 overs. India, riding on KL Rahul’s historic ton (110*), came close but lost by a solitary run.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the one against Pakistan in Dubai was Jasprit Bumrah’s joint third-most expensive spell in T20I cricket. He conceded 45 runs, as many as he conceded against New Zealand in the 2020 Hamilton T20I. Notably, the Indian pacer was wicketless in both these matches. Moreover, India beat the Black Caps in the one-over eliminator (Super Over).
Jasprit Bumrah surprizingly not fruitful for India on his T20I return
It hasn’t been the most productive return to international T20 cricket for Jasprit Bumrah. Used differently from the past when captains preferred to load up a majority of his overs for the second half, India’s premier strike force has leaked runs by the bushel in the Asia Cup, struggling for the accuracy and control that, allied with his immense skills, have made him the most feared bowler in the contemporary game.
Before this tournament, the 31-year-old hadn’t played a T20I since the World Cup final against South Africa in June 2024. He missed the first few matches of Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2025 campaign with a lower back injury that struck him down halfway through the Sydney Test in January, but seemed none the worse for it, stacking up 18 wickets from 12 outings at a niggardly 6.67 runs per over – none of the other 38 bowlers with ten or more wickets dipped under seven an over.
In 245 T20s until September 10, when India played UAE in their first Group A outing, Bumrah had bowled three overs in the Powerplay just 11 times; only one of them was in an international outing, against Australia in Visakhapatnam in 2019. Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir have opted to use him differently in the Emirates; in each of his three appearances, Bumrah has delivered three-fourths of his allotment inside the first six overs.
For that alone to be held responsible for unflattering figures of three for 92 from 11 overs, economy 8.36, will be unfair. Jasprit Bumrah is the best bowler in the world for a reason; one of his great traits is his problem-solving ability, but in this tournament, that has remained a bridge too far.
There has been a profusion of full-tosses and hit-me length balls, his discipline has been conspicuously absent, and he hasn’t been able to respond with characteristic alacrity and smarts when batters have gone after him. Jasprit Bumrah has been pummelled for 12 fours and three sixes in 67 balls (including a no-ball against Pakistan on Sunday) and looked a little short on ideas and inspiration.
It won’t be so for long, because Jasprit Bumrah is, simply, Jasprit Bumrah. The very fact that an economy of 8.36 is making news is because of the ridiculously high standards he has set (career economy 6.36 in 73 T20Is). From time to time, as if to remind everyone that he is as human as any of us, he will cop punishment, but if the think-tank is worried about his burgeoning economy rate and his dipping strike-rate, they sure aren’t showing it.
Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management has been a topic of discussion since the start of the recent England tour, but the versatile pacer might just be making himself available for the upcoming Tests against the West Indies, hinted India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate here on Tuesday. Doeschate feels the Asia Cup is good enough preparation for Bumrah ahead of the red ball series starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad.
Jasprit Bumrah is doing an exceptionally tough job- Ryan ten Doeschate
Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate threw his weight behind Jasprit Bumrah after the pacer registered disappointing figures of 0-45 in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match against Pakistan. Admitting that the fast bowler was not at his best, Ten Doeschate stated that he is doing an extremely challenging job, bowling three overs in the powerplay.
India beat Pakistan by six wickets in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match in Dubai on Sunday, September 21. Bowling first after winning the toss, the Men in Blue conceded 171-5, but chased down the total in 18.5 overs. Bumrah had a rare off day as he went wicketless and proved expensive as well.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of India’s second Super 4 match against Bangladesh, Ten Doeschate asserted that the team is happy with Bumrah’s performance. Asked for an assessment on the fast bowler’s effort in the Asia Cup so far, the assistant coach stated:
“He’s gone very well. It wasn’t his most polished performance against Pakistan the other night. But, we also understand, he’s doing an exceptionally tough job to bowl the first three overs, with two out and the last or second last over of the innings, where guys are going [after the bowling].”
On the decision to bowl three of Jasprit Bumrah’s four overs upfront inside the powerplay, Ten Doeschate explained that the think tank feels it’s the best approach given how spin-heavy the playing XI is. He elaborated:
“Again, easy to look at 0-45 on the night, but we are still happy with that. There are going to be days when he doesn’t get wickets and he’s going to go for runs. But, in terms of how we set up the team, with two seamers and going spin-heavy, we feel at the moment that’s the best job. We can be flexible, but tried to close out the powerplay the other night when Pakistan were going well. He was the right option.”
While Bumrah struggled to make an impact against Pakistan, Shivam Dube put his hand up and registered figures of 2-33. Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav also claimed one wicket each.
Speaking at the press conference, India’s assistant coach ten Doeschate all but confirmed that Bumrah wouldn’t be rested for any of the remaining matches of Asia Cup 2025. While he hinted that the management might be tempted to rest him in case India qualify for the final with a game in hand, the former Dutch star added that it’s highly unlikely to happen. Ten Doeschate commented:
“There’s a game tonight and our game tomorrow. So, we’ll have a better understanding of how the table sits. It’s very unlikely that you are going into the last game knowing you have qualified. So, it’s unlikely that he’ll get a rest. Also, bearing in mind, we have a Test match starting on Thursday. So, it’s actually quite good preparation in terms of workload management.
“If he plays all the games, he’ll bowl in the region of 25-26 overs, with training and preparation, which is a fairly good number before a Test. If we have the luxury to have that option in the last game, we can look at it. But, I’d say we are going to pick our best team for every game and he obviously fits in that picture,” the 45-year-old concluded.
Team India will take on Bangladesh in their second Super 4 match in Dubai on September 24. Their last Super 4 clash will be against Sri Lanka on September 26. For now, the Tests can wait. With the Asia Cup speeding towards its denouement, India need Jasprit Bumrah at his very best. Starting, they’d hope, from Wednesday night.
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