Captaincy in India's Ireland series will only help Jasprit Bumrah to understand his body better: Saba Karim

Star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is all set to make a much-awaited comeback in the three-match away T20I series against Ireland. The opening game will be contested at The Village Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin on Friday, August 18. 

Meanwhile, Saba Karim, former India wicketkeeper-batter, reckoned that the role of captaincy in the Ireland series will not add more burden on the speedster but instead, the leadership role will help the pacer understand his body better, according to the 55-year-old.

“The team management and selectors would be more concerned about Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness levels and match fitness. This (series) is a T20 format and it (captaincy) won’t add more burden on him. It will only help him to understand his body better. They (India) are playing three T20 games, he can play at different phases,” Karim was quoted as saying by India Today.

Jasprit Bumrah's comeback is made more apparent by his appointment as captain of team India for the T20I series against Ireland, which is set to take place on August 18, 20, and 23, respectively. His injury journey has been long as well as challenging. The 29-year-old had to withdraw from various tournaments and series, including the 2022 Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, owing to a back issue.
 
He was named to the squad for an ODI series against Sri Lanka in January 2023 but was forced to withdraw due to persistent back issues. As a consequence of this, he was incapable of competing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), and the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

The T20I series in Ireland is not only his comeback but also a significant part of his preparation for the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup at home.  The series is particularly critical since it marks his first appearance as a captain. Notably, his form and fitness will be closely assessed during the upcoming T20I series. 

He last played for India in a T20I game against Australia in September 2022 in Hyderabad. In March 2023, he underwent back surgery in New Zealand and began his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.