Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s performance in the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, highlighting his ability to focus solely on what he can control, regardless of pitch conditions. South Africa defeated India by 30 runs in the series opener as India failed to chase a target of 124 in the fourth innings. The match, wrapped up in just three days, saw challenging batting conditions for both sides, with Temba Bavuma being the only batter to score a half-century. This marked South Africa’s first Test win on Indian soil in 15 years, since 2010. India will now aim to win the second Test in Guwahati to level the series 1-1.
Speaking on the JioStar show “Game Plan”, Karim singled out Bumrah as India’s go-to bowler for breaking partnerships in any situation. He praised the pacer’s current fitness and hunger for wickets as positive signs for the team.
Jasprit Bumrah’s skills key for India
“I think he believes only in the things he can control, and the wicket, for that matter, becomes irrelevant for him because he has those special skills that come into effect whenever the team needs them, not only in the first innings, but also in the second. To break a partnership, you look to Jasprit Bumrah,” Karim said.
“In all conditions, he’s your go-to bowler. And I thought that in this Test match at least, except for the final day where he was brought in late, he was utilised quite well. In the first innings, that extended spell worked so well for him. It also shows and augurs well for India that he is so fit at the moment and hungry to pick up more wickets,” he added.
Karim also commented on India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, noting that while his aggressive approach is commendable, he needs to refine his shot selection as he matures. Karim observed that Jaiswal’s impatience at Eden Gardens—trying to score quickly rather than adjusting to the conditions—led to his dismissal in the first innings.
“The approach is fine, but as you grow as a batter, you also need to be more judicious with your shot selection. I understand that you are a swashbuckling opener and want to maintain an attacking mindset, but you still need to pick the right ball and the right surface to play those shots. I didn’t see that in Yashasvi Jaiswal’s effort in this Test match,” Karim said.
He added, “In the second innings, although he got a special delivery from Marco Jansen, what happened in the first innings showed that he was losing patience. He wanted to get off the mark or play big shots very early in his innings because, in his mind, his template is to start quickly and then build later. At times, you need to change your scoring pattern to make big runs and build partnerships. I think that’s one area where Yashasvi Jaiswal needs to improve.”
