Jasprit Bumrah has always been India’s go-to bowler in all major tournaments across formats. But the 2025 Asia Cup is probably the first time Bumrah hasn’t been at his best. At times, he has been on the receiving end of big shots from opposition batters and has also been hit for sixes.
The India pacer has taken only five wickets, with an economy of 7.33 in four games in the ongoing tournament. He is also being used by Suryakumar Yadav in a different role, and has been bowling three overs in the powerplay in the tournament.
Against Pakistan in the Super Four stage, Bumrah went wicketless and was slammed for 45 runs. In his last five T20I outings, Bumrah has managed only seven wickets, with one fixture coming in 2024.
His last five T20I outings were against Bangladesh (September 24), Pakistan (September 21 and September 14), UAE (September 10) and South Africa (June 29, 2024). The match against South Africa was in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where he was also adjudged as the Player of the Tournament.
Jasprit Bumrah’s last five T20I outings:
| Team name | Date | Overs | Maidens | Wickets | Runs conceded | Economy rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | September 24, 2025 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 4.50 |
| Pakistan | September 21, 2025 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 11.25 |
| Pakistan | September 14, 2025 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 7.00 |
| UAE | September 10, 2025 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 6.33 |
| South Africa | June 29, 2024 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 4.50 |
Recently, India bowling coach Morne Morkel defended the decision to make Bumrah bowl three overs in the powerplay. He said, “Look, it’s obviously a tough job to bowl in the powerplay, but Jasprit is one of the best bowlers. And, with the new ball, obviously, we’re looking to take a wicket. I think if you can get 10 down, or 6-7 down before the last ball, you make life a lot easier for you and on the surface, the wicket is playing a certain way. Sort of the plan, and it’s no secret that with spin after the powerplay. So what a great opportunity for the best bowler to strike for us up front.”
“We know the number one rule or the golden rule in T20 cricket is to take wickets and if we can do that by using one of our best bowlers and for us to strike upfront. That might change according to what we feel will be best in the day. But yeah, we just felt that it’s a nice opportunity to give him that role to try and strike for us up front,” he added.
