WTC Final | Selectors went with Bumrah's reputation than current form, reckons Saba Karim

WTC Final | Selectors went with Bumrah's reputation than current form, reckons Saba Karim

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Bumrah had a poor game against NZ

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BCCI

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Saba Karim has claimed that the Indian selectors didn't consider current form and went ahead with Jasprit Bumrah, owing to his reputation. He also added that Bumrah just couldn't nail the right lengths, though he was unlucky too at times.

Jasprit Bumrah, who has a stellar record in SENA countries and leads India's bowling attack across formats, was expected to play a major role in the WTC Final in Southampton. However, as it turned out, the Indian spearhead was the only specialist seamer to go wicketless in some pretty helpful bowling conditions. Bumrah bowled well in patches but wasn't able to consistently trouble the batters, and when he did, he was on the bad side of luck. There was even a dropped catch off his bowling in the second innings.

Ever since the WTC Final, Bumrah has been facing immense criticism. Talking about the Indian quick, former national selector Saba Karim claimed that the right-armer's selection was influenced by reputation than current form. 

“I feel the selectors did not pay attention to the current form and went on with reputation to a certain extent. Jasprit Bumrah has not played red-ball cricket since he got injured in Australia. He has only played white-ball cricket and that too only the T20s. He did not play in the home series against England. I felt he was woefully out of form and along with that out of practice if we talk about red-ball cricket,” Karim told India News, reported India Today.

Notably, Bumrah had featured in the home series against England. Karim further added that he was unlucky at times too, but, overall, just couldn't crack the right lengths, something he felt was an area of concern heading into the future.

“To a certain extent, I felt he was getting back his rhythm in the second innings spell he bowled; he was also unlucky at times. But in the end, he couldn’t catch the length that is required in red-ball cricket, especially in conducive conditions, in the entire Test match. I feel this is a very big area of concern and it is required to rectify this in the upcoming series,” said Karim.

The Indian team will now take on England in the five-match Test series starting in August. The Virat Kohli-led side have now lost five of their last six Tests in England. However, they will take on the hosts, who are also going through a lean patch, having lost four of their last five Tests.

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