Today’s E-paper

IPL 2018 preview: Mumbai Indians bank on Jasprit Bumrah

07 April,2018 08:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Harit N Joshi

MI bowling coach Bond reckons Indian pacer is the best in T20 cricket and a crucial weapon against today's opponents Chennai at Wankhede Stadium

Mumbai Indians' pacer Jasprit Bumrah (right) takes a break during a practice session on the eve of their IPL opener against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede today. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Mumbai Indians (MI) have no reason to believe that they can't defend the Indian Premier League (IPL) title when they step on the Wankhede Stadium turf today to face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening clash of the 11th edition.

Besides the solidity and variety of attacking batsmen in their line-up, MI also boast of the best death bowlers in their armoury with Jasprit Bumrah and Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman along with Mitchell McClenaghan and Pat Cummins.

Shane Bond

ALSO READ

"We haven’t experienced anything like it": Nathan McSweeney on Indian bowlers

Remarkably patient

King Kohli reclaims his throne

Bumrah back on top, Jaiswal powers up in latest ICC Test rankings

'Jas beautiful, but not greater than Kapil': Geoff Boycott

MI's bowling coach Shane Bond did not hesitate to declare Bumrah as the best bowler in T20 cricket. "Jasprit is right up there. He is number one in the shortest format for a reason. That's because he has a sustained performance for a long period of time. If you ask people around the world about T20 cricket, they will talk about this bloke," Bond said on the eve of their opening encounter.

As the leader of the MI pack, Bumrah explained what makes him special. "I don't think about responsibilities. I just enjoy the job that is given to me. I don't think about expectations. I just like to focus on the situation in the match. If you don't think about what happens outside, then there is less pressure," said Bumrah, who has claimed 46 wickets for MI in 47 matches.

Though having many variations can work wonders for a bowler, Bumrah felt it is also important to have a clear mindset as far as execution is concerned. "More than new weapons, for me, a clear mindset and control are very important. If you have got good control, even if you have two-three variations, you can execute whenever you want to. If you have six different varieties and if you are not able to execute on a given day, it's of no use," he said.

Catch up on all the latest IPL news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!

jasprit bumrah mumbai indians chennai super kings ipl 2018 cricket news