Even when he's bowling at 130, Bumrah is India's best seam bowler: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manchester [UK], July 26 (ANI): Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted the current predicament around the "genius" Jasprit Bumrah and his fall from grace with the passage of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. With Bumrah seemingly losing his mojo, Manjrekar has classified the 31-year-old as the "best seam" bowler, even if he bowls at 130kph.
Bumrah, highly regarded as the "world's best" of the current generation, has fizzled out in India's baptism by fire in England. He cast a spell in the first innings of the series opener at Headingley with a sizzling five-wicket haul, but soon started to fade away.
He went wicketless in the second innings but returned to Lord's with another sweltering five-for. In Manchester, he has enjoyed minimal success with a sole scalp of Jamie Smith to his name after 28 overs. This has been Bumrah's story throughout India's tour of England.
Bumrah notably grappled with his fitness issues during the second session of the third day. After India opted to exercise the option of taking the new ball in the 91st over, Bumrah managed just one over, going for 11 runs before walking off the field.
Manjrekar felt that Bumrah has found himself in a situation where he has yet to play his 50th Test but is being handled like one who has featured in 100 of them. While decoding the "unfortunate" situation, Manjrekar decided to put his weight behind the world's best.
"We saw it at the start of the series as well. He (Bumrah) started impressively at Headingley in the first innings. He bowled well. In the second innings, you could see him not having the same kind of effect; the speeds go down a little bit. Very early in his career, we have to deal with a situation where you have a genius bowler but you have to handle him as if he has played 100 Test matches," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day.
"So it is unfortunate that it is the situation, but it is something that people will always talk about. It has come very early in his career. It is the reality we see today. But Bumrah, even when he's bowling at 130, is going to be your best seam bowler by far," he added.
The Manchester Test will be Bumrah's last appearance in India's ongoing tour of England, due to a part of his workload management. As of now, he is the third-highest wicket-taker in the series with 13 scalps from three Tests at 26.69. (ANI)