With no Jasprit Bumrah in the mix, West Indies have pulled off two phenomenal wins over India, levelling the series at 2-2 with a game to go. In both of those wins, West Indies have scored more than 240, including their highest-ever T20I chase in one. India’s bowling displays in the ongoing T20I series against West Indies has left a lot to be desired. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed uncertainty over India’s bowling lineup, and gave a clear instruction to T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer on this subject.
In the 2011 final, we restricted Sri Lanka to 270 and won. In the 2024 T20 World Cup final, we defended 170-odd against South Africa. Zaheer Khan was young in the 2003 World Cup that we lost. In the 2011 World Cup, he contributed and helped us win.
“If you look at the 1983 World Cup final, we won due to our bowling.
So history says a good bowling team wins you trophies,” Kaif said, speaking on his YouTube channel. He will also get hit, and if wicket-takers are hit, you have to back them,” he further said. “First, they played Bishnoi. Now neither Bishnoi nor Kuldeep are able to play consistently. This is the irony. But over time, he learnt. With time, you learn. But he also got that backing and was not dropped,” Kaif explained. “Kuldeep’s form is up and down, but he is not getting that backing.
We are not able to bring perfection and execution at the moment,” Kaif said. “It is the responsibility of the captain to build a good bowling team. There is a lot of work to be done right now. You need to learn not to compromise on the bowling,” he stated. “Shreyas Iyer has to make it clear to all bowlers that we need attacking bowling on such pitches where you cannot get away by looking to contain. You only have to look to pick wickets. With not many of India’s premier bowlers being handy batters, Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir have often faced headaches over the bowling unit while trying to keep the balance of the team intact. Thi
