Makes us win powerplay: India head coach Gambhir explains rationale behind Bumrah's Asia Cup strategy

New Delhi [India], November 10 (ANI): Head coach Gautam Gambhir explained the rationale behind using the team's premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah extensively in the T20I powerplay, stating that it was a way of expressing that India can be an aggressive side with both bat and ball.

During India's unbeaten run to the Asia Cup title in September, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side attempted to dominate the opposition sides on the UAE's sluggish surface by deploying Bumrah for a three-over spell. Bumrah attacks relentlessly with his variation in the first six overs, looking to rattle his opponent's batting unit early. Under the new strategy, the 31-year-old finished with seven wickets in five matches at an average of 19.28.

After the victorious campaign, India embarked on a tour of Australia for a white-ball series, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is. Bumrah missed the 50-over fixtures as part of his workload management and fine-tuned his impeccable technique for the pulsating series.

Across the five T20Is, India adjusted its approach with Bumrah, utilising his two in the powerplay and using the remainder according to the circumstances. While returning to his usual plan of attack, Bumrah returned with three wickets at 26.33. Gambhir explained India's plan for Bumrah was a statement about their tenacious approach with the ball.

"Look, I'll tell you one thing. I think a lot of people relate to this T20 side as a very aggressive batting lineup. For me, I think bowling Jassie's three in the first six was an even more aggressive option with the ball. We don't want to be a side which is only known as an aggressive batting order. We want to be a side which should be known as an aggressive side overall. So imagine, no one has ever bowled Jassie's three overs in the first six," Gambhir said in a video posted by the BCCI.

Gambhir labelled Bumrah's three-over spell in the first six overs as successful, considering the presence of the premier spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, India's two viable wicket-taking options in the middle overs. The Indian head coach underscored that the rest of the bowlers had more freedom to scalp wickets after Bumrah intimidated the batters in the first six overs, which was one of the reasons behind the three-over strategy.

"We wanted to go that way as well. We wanted to see how it pans out. We wanted to see where it takes us in future as well, and I thought that the Asia Cup has really worked well for us because bowling Jassie in the first three, obviously, makes us win the powerplay most of the time and then obviously, we've got two wicket-taking options in the middle with Varun and Kuldeep," Gambhir said.

"So it gives them a lot of leverage to bowl with freedom in the middle phase, and we can take wickets all the time, and that was one of the reasons. So I felt that I think it was a very aggressive move, not only with the bat but also with the ball as well, and that is how we want to play the game as well. We want to play the game thinking where we are at the moment rather than thinking where we want to be after the 18th or the 17th over mark," Gambhir added.

Bumrah will return to the on-field action in the upcoming two home Tests against South Africa, scheduled to begin on Friday at the famed Eden Gardens. (ANI)

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