New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) With the ODI series between India and England set to be decided at Lord's, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes the spotlight will once again fall on the gripping battle between Jasprit Bumrah and Joe Root.
Speaking ahead of the series decider, Nayar praised Root's approach against India's premier fast bowler, backed Bumrah's methods despite the England batter's success, and said India's think tank would inevitably discuss fresh plans to dismiss the in-form right-hander. He felt there was little for Bumrah to change despite Root having enjoyed the upper hand in their duel so far, crediting the England veteran for the clarity with which he has approached the contest.
"Honestly, I don't see anything Jasprit Bumrah could do better. He has bowled in the right areas, hit the right lengths, and challenged Joe Root with his outswingers. But Root has been brilliant. In home conditions, you expect that from a player of his quality. He is batting with great thought against Bumrah, picking and choosing his battles,” Nayar told JioStar.
“The chase of 234 didn't put Root under pressure. When you are chasing a modest total, you don't have to take risks against the best bowler. But if the target was 250, 300, or 350, Bumrah could have created more opportunities,” he added.
Nayar believes the unique characteristics of Lord's could assist Bumrah in the decisive encounter, as he stated, "So, Bumrah just needs to keep doing what he does best. If he can maintain a tight economy and keep the pressure on, the slope at Lord's might help him. That could bring the ball back in and target Root's pads. It should be interesting to watch. It was already intriguing to see Root stranded on 99 when he could have easily got a hundred. Still, five consecutive 50-plus scores is a great achievement for him."
Nayar expects India's management to spend considerable time discussing ways to break Root's consistency, with team selection likely to be influenced by the conditions at Lord's. "There will definitely be discussions about how to get Joe Root out. The team will look for a solution. It will depend on the conditions. Will they bring back Kuldeep Yadav? Or could KL Rahul return? Ishan Kishan will stay in the XI, but Prince Yadav might replace Shivam Dube. India could also go with a fourth specialist fast bowler, similar to what England did in the second ODI. England played four genuine pacers, and it worked well for them. So that is something India can consider. But the final decision will depend on the conditions,” the former India cricketer expressed.
--IANS
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