Jasprit Bumrah's bowling action and form have been the subject of much discussion, with some veteran cricketers saying that the India fast bowler needs to find a method to extend his international career. Bumrah has been playing international cricket for more than five years, but his form has dipped since sustaining a back injury in late 2019.
Despite avoiding back surgery and making a successful return to top-flight cricket, the pacer's wickets have dried up and his economy rate has risen.
With that in mind, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has some advise for India's pace bowler and team management, believing that the key to ensuring Bumrah's long career is to utilise him carefully.
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"Frontal action is the foundation of his bowling. With that action, players bowl with their backs and shoulders. We used to be side-on, which was a benefit. There is no compensation for front action, so when the back blasts out, you can't avoid it no matter how hard you try, Akhtar stated on. Sports Tak.
"I witnessed [Ian] Bishop's back blow out, and Shane Bond's back blow out, and both of them had frontal actions." Bumrah must now think in terms of, "I played a match, took a break, then went to rehab." He must be managed. In a year, if you play him every match, he will totally break down. Take him out after three matches out of five. If Bumrah wants to stay alive, he'll have to deal with this one issue.
"I kept asking the Pakistan Cricket Board, 'Please don't force me to play all five matches.' My knees won't allow it since I'm a three-ODI fast bowler.' My knees couldn't bear the strain when I started my years in 1997. My knees would fill with water and my movement would go after five matches. I was tired of asking them to utilise me in three of the five games, but I had no choice.Unfortunately, I had to manage this myself," he pointed out.