Australia Star Questions Mumbai Indians' Tactics: 'Damage Had Been Done' With Bumrah Omission
Puzzled by the strategic decisions of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya during the IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad , former Australia skipper Steve Smith expressed his bewilderment at premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah 's limited involvement until the 13th over of the game.
In an astonishing showcase of power-hitting, Sunrisers Hyderabad amassed the highest ever IPL total of 277/3, securing a commanding 31-run victory over an equally aggressive Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night. Despite being the second-most economical bowler in the match, conceding 36 runs in his four overs without taking any wickets, Bumrah's utilisation left Smith scratching his head.
"I was perplexed with some of their bowling changes in the first innings for Mumbai. Bumrah bowled in the fourth over, he went for 5 and then we didn't see him again till the 13th over when they were on 173," Smith remarked to host broadcaster 'Star Sports.'
"All the damage had been done, you needed your best bowler to be coming back and take some wickets in that period and I think they missed a trick there bringing him back only in the 13th over," he emphasised.
"I think he got a few things wrong, and that was the main one for me. I mean you can't have one of the best bowlers in the world bowling one over."Smith said, noting that Bumrah's delayed return to the attack diminished his effectiveness.
"When the ball is flying around like that, you have to bring your best bowler back earlier than planned. It's about adapting on the fly, and I would have almost bowled Bumrah out by the 15th or 16th over, trying to pick up some wickets. If he gets wickets, it naturally slows the run rate down.
"If the guy is batting at the end, doesn't matter who is bowling, we saw that really with Bumrah in the last two overs and he still got smacked with the bat at the back end," he elaborated.
"So if he came back earlier and had taken some risks, things would have been really different and they got 277 and they could have been reduced to 240 and might have chased those down, so I was just perplexed that he bowled only one over up until the 13th over." Smith remarked, finding it challenging to comprehend the power-hitting spectacle that unfolded during the match.
"...38 sixes in total, the ball was just going all over the place. It was an incredible game.
Former cricketer Brian Lara also commended SRH's Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a blistering 23-ball 63.
"Abhishek Sharma is one of my favourite young batters...He can hit it, he's not a big muscular guy, but when he hits the ball it stays hit. I think his was a special knock today," he praised.
In an astonishing showcase of power-hitting, Sunrisers Hyderabad amassed the highest ever IPL total of 277/3, securing a commanding 31-run victory over an equally aggressive Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night. Despite being the second-most economical bowler in the match, conceding 36 runs in his four overs without taking any wickets, Bumrah's utilisation left Smith scratching his head.
"I was perplexed with some of their bowling changes in the first innings for Mumbai. Bumrah bowled in the fourth over, he went for 5 and then we didn't see him again till the 13th over when they were on 173," Smith remarked to host broadcaster 'Star Sports.'
"All the damage had been done, you needed your best bowler to be coming back and take some wickets in that period and I think they missed a trick there bringing him back only in the 13th over," he emphasised.
"I think he got a few things wrong, and that was the main one for me. I mean you can't have one of the best bowlers in the world bowling one over."Smith said, noting that Bumrah's delayed return to the attack diminished his effectiveness.
"When the ball is flying around like that, you have to bring your best bowler back earlier than planned. It's about adapting on the fly, and I would have almost bowled Bumrah out by the 15th or 16th over, trying to pick up some wickets. If he gets wickets, it naturally slows the run rate down.
"If the guy is batting at the end, doesn't matter who is bowling, we saw that really with Bumrah in the last two overs and he still got smacked with the bat at the back end," he elaborated.
"So if he came back earlier and had taken some risks, things would have been really different and they got 277 and they could have been reduced to 240 and might have chased those down, so I was just perplexed that he bowled only one over up until the 13th over." Smith remarked, finding it challenging to comprehend the power-hitting spectacle that unfolded during the match.
"...38 sixes in total, the ball was just going all over the place. It was an incredible game.
Former cricketer Brian Lara also commended SRH's Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a blistering 23-ball 63.
"Abhishek Sharma is one of my favourite young batters...He can hit it, he's not a big muscular guy, but when he hits the ball it stays hit. I think his was a special knock today," he praised.
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