India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was named ‘Player of the tournament’ in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Bumrah was exceptional as he conceded runs at an economy rate which is impressive even for a bowler in the ODI format. He barely let batters off the hook and dominated the proceedings. Several weeks after the historic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in Barbados, Bumrah revealed one cricketing rule he wants to change or modify.
Bumrah who has had his own share of struggle with no balls wants to do away with the free hit rule in limited-overs cricket.
“That no ball free hit should go away,” Bumrah told Indian Express when asked about the rule he wishes to change.
Free hit was at first used in T20Is only but it was later adopted in ODIs as well. Test cricket is the only format where bowlers don’t get punished with the batter given a license to attack on the next delivery.
Test cricket is the greatest format
Bumrah also talked about how in India batters are hailed more than the bowlers. He feels he needs to stay true to Test format and everything else will fall into place.
“I am an advocate for bowlers. I understand that our country loves big batsmen and fair enough, but for me, bowlers drive the game. I come from a generation where Test cricket used to be shown more on television and for me, till date, it’s the greatest format because I feel that if I do well in that, all other formats will take care of themselves,” the 30-year-old said.
‘You cannot tell people to forcefully’
He further talked about bias towards batters. He feels that he can’t force people to like fast bowlers more.
“Within our setup, there is no difference between a batsman and a bowler because all of us have to do a job — to make the team win. Now, outside (our circle), people resonate with certain players, heroes who are batsmen,” he added.
“You cannot tell people to forcefully like bowlers. If they do, they do, if they don’t, they don’t. I was inspired by watching a lot of bowlers doing well. I’ve never tried to create a narrative that bowlers have to be more important or the idea that ‘promote us more, give us more limelight’.”
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