"Everyone takes time" - Aakash Chopra on what went wrong with Jasprit Bumrah in the WTC final

Aakash Chopra has opined that failure to acclimatize to the conditions quickly could be the reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's indifferent performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless in both innings of the WTC final. Although there was a catch dropped off his bowling, he didn't look threatening enough during the entire Test match.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was asked by a fan about what went wrong with Jasprit Bumrah in the WTC final.

The cricketer-turned-commentator responded that even bowlers and not only the batsmen need time to acclimatize to the conditions. He said:

"Everyone takes time. Let's be very very honest. When we talk about the batsmen, we focus for a long time that they should practice and befriend the pitch, play friendly matches and play a lot of deliveries. We don't talk anything like that about the bowlers. We say that the bowlers can adjust even during the match. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't."

Chopra added that Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, who outbowled Jasprit Bumrah, have relatively more experience of playing in English conditions and overall in Test cricket as well. He pointed out:

"Ishant Sharma was very good but he was drawing on his experience, he has played county cricket in England as well and 100 Test matches. Shami has also played more Test cricket than Bumrah."

"Jasprit Bumrah couldn't catch the length that is required in Red ball Cricket. I feel this is very big area of concern and it is required to rectify this in the upcoming series." - Saba Karim (To India news)

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) June 26, 2021

Jasprit Bumrah has also not played much long-format cricket since the Sydney Test against Australia. Although he did play a couple of home Tests against England, he didn't get to bowl much on the spinner-friendly surfaces.

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Aakash Chopra on the other reason Jasprit Bumrah didn't enjoy great success

Jasprit Bumrah relies more on seam movement as compared to swing

While terming Jasprit Bumrah a unique bowler, Aakash Chopra highlighted that the seamer's upright wrist position is not conducive to swing bowling. He elaborated:

"There is no doubt Bumrah is a special bowler, he is one of its kind. Absolute phenomenal bowler but is quick in the air. He keeps his hand straight, so the ball goes absolutely straight, doesn't swing much. In the first half of the English summer, you need to make the ball move a lot more because the ball comes slightly slower after pitching. Then it becomes slightly easier to play."

The 43-year-old signed off by stating that Jasprit Bumrah might just come into his own when the Test series against England starts, the latter half of the English summer. He said:

"In the second half of the English summer, if you bowl at this pace, the air speed comes very handy because the ball starts reversing. Let's be patient, one off game for Bumrah. I am not going to read too much into his performances."

Jasprit Bumrah picked up 14 wickets in the three Tests he played in India's last visit to England in 2018. He will hope to be back at his potent best when the five-match series against England starts on August 4.

The first Asian bowler to take five wickets in South Africa, England and Australia in the same calendar year. 5-54 vs SA, Johannesburg 5-85 vs Eng, Trent Bridge 6-33 vs Aus, MelbourneJasprit Bumrah 👏#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/jFoS5rxuxI

— bet365 (@bet365) December 28, 2018