T20 World Cup 2024: Should Bumrah, Hardik Be Rested vs Ireland?

The Nassau Country International Cricket Stadium in New York will host India’s first match in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland. However, Indian coach Rahul Dravid has raised a grave concern regarding the pitch which might prove to be injurious to the players.

T20 World Cup 2024: Should Bumrah, Hardik Be Rested vs Ireland?

“Ground is a little bit soft and spongy, guys could feel the effect on the hamstring and calves”, Dravid said. This could be alarming for players like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya who are prone to injuries. Both the players have returned from long-drawn injuries and if the coach is to be believed, the game could mire their fitness.

What the coach and captain can do is let Bumrah and Hardik skip the match against Ireland and replace them with Arshdeep Singh and all-rounder Shivam Dube respectively. India can afford to rest Bumrah and Hardik against the minnow team and save them for big-ticket games. 

Also Read: T20 World Cup: Namibia defeats Oman in the first super-over of the Tournament

Bumrah, who was missing from action since September 2022, underwent surgery for a stress fracture on his back in March 2023. He had to miss the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and the IPL in 2023. The bowling sensation, with his unique style of delivery action, cannot be pressed to appear persistently on the field. Many experts have opined that he needs to be rested frequently and be kept for only marquee games otherwise he might suffer further injuries.

Also Read: T20 World Cup: Afghanistan Beat Uganda By 125 Runs

Hardik, on the other hand, spent a long period recuperating from an ankle injury that he had suffered during India’s match against Bangladesh in the ICC World Cup 2023. What seemed to be a freak injury at first glance got serious and he had to pull out of the remaining tournament. He got back into action in the IPL 2024.

The pitch at the New York cricket stadium seems to be slow and the outfield faster providing wide assistance to the bowlers. It should be India’s call to give a chance to youngsters like Arshdeep and Dube. This could also be a chance for Team India to experiment with new combinations that might throw up some exciting results. 

India has been placed in Group A alongside the USA, Canada, Ireland, and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024.