'Anil Kumble could bowl at that speed' - Navjot Singh Sidhu lashes out at Indian pacers for mediocre bowling

Due to workload maintenance, India’s star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah sat out of the second Test. He was back for the Lord’s Test and is seen playing in the fourth Test at the Old Trafford, Manchester. As England came out to bat on Day 3, Bumrah bowled continuously and he was given the responsibility of starting the proceeding post Tea on Day 3. 

But to everyone’s surprise, his pace dipped as he started bowling. He maintained the pace of just around 125 to 130 kmph until the stumps. Not only Bumrah, even the young pacer Anshul Kamboj and veterans Shardul Takur and Mohammed Siraj too were seen bowling at the same pace. With this, the questions on his fitness caught fire and former Indian cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the bandwagon, Sidhu sheepishly remarked that former India spinner, Anil Kumble could bowl at that speed. 

“If you look at Siraj and Anshul Kamboj, bowling at 125 to 130, even Anil Kumble could bowl at that speed. I’m not saying it’s their first Test, but with this kind of bowling, what can you expect? Shardul Thakur, this is what I had said, will give away 30 to 40 runs. But forget five wickets, could he even bowl like the 15 tight overs Prasidh did? That’s the question,” said Sidhu on his YouTube channel. 

You didn’t bring on your hero from the last match

As was the case in the Lord’s Test, Shubman Gill did not introduce Washington Sundar into the attack in the mid part of the innings. The same ritual was carried out in the fourth Test as the all-rounder came out to bowl only after the 68th over. Sidhu highlighted this aspect and likened Sundar’s ability to drift the ball to former India spinner, Erapalli Prasanna. 

“I was really surprised that in the 68th over today, you didn’t bring on your hero from the last match, the one who took four wickets. That drifting delivery of his reminded me of Erapalli Prasanna. This drifter is an orthodox delivery, where it looks like the ball will turn in the air, but after pitching, it goes straight," he added.