T20 World Cup 2022: "He is not like Harshal Patel" - Danish Kaneria questions Indian team management for rushing Jasprit Bumrah's return following injury

Team India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is likely to be ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 due to a back injury. Reacting to the same, former cricketer Danish Kaneria stated that the pacer shouldn't have played the T20I series against Australia earlier this month.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kenria stated that Bumrah has been on the sidelines due to a back injury and has had such issues in the past. He suggested that the pacer should have waited for the T20 World Cup to make his comeback.

The former Pakistani spinner opined that Bumrah wouldn't have taken many games to regain his rhythm, unlike Harshal Patel and the other Indian bowlers. He explained:

"It would have been better if he had returned directly at the T20 World Cup 2022? He could have played in practice matches to get back into rhythm. He is not like Harshal Patel or any other bowler who would need a lot of time to get back into the groove."

Kaneria highlighted that Bumrah is prone to injuries. However, he also pointed out how the speedster has seldom missed matches while playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kaneria added:

"There are issues with Jasprit Bumrah's back once again. While he is prone to injuries, he has always played all the matches in the IPL. The BCCI and the team management have looked after him well, giving him enough rest. However, it remains to be seen if the medical team were sure that he was ready to return."

Bumrah featured in two games against Australia and bowled just six overs in his comeback series. According to recent reports, he could be out of action for four to six months owing to his back injury.

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"The Indian team cannot rely on him" - Danish Kaneria raises concerns about Bhuvneshwar Kumar's poor form

Kaneria suggested that India will need to identify a reliable bowler for the T20 World Cup 2022 if Bumrah isn't available. He reckoned that the Men in Blue shouldn't consider Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the position given his string of poor performances.

The former leg-spinner mentioned that Kumar won't be effective on Australian pitches as it isn't expected to swing a lot in those conditions. Kaneria said:

"Bhuvneshwar Kumar has gone for plenty in his last few outings. The Indian team cannot rely on him. He won't be useful in conditions where there is no swing on offer. You won't get much swing in Australia and the matches are expected to be played on hard tracks. He is struggling with his form and won't be the ideal option for death overs."

Kumar isn't a part of India's squad for their ongoing three-match T20I series against South Africa. He has reported to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for conditioning-related work.