In white-ball cricket, the essence of a world-class death bowler is paramount for a team, to remain relevant in all departments of the game.
It is primarily the reason why quality death bowlers have bagged lucrative contracts in various T20 franchise teams around the world.
But, the acid test of even these sought after death bowlers arrive during the Super Over, where the idea is to restrict teams to minimal scores.
Also, if the bowler can pick a couple of wickets in the Super Over, it proves to be a bumper reward.
In the modern-day scenario, there are no better proponents of death bowling than premier internationals Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga.
“If you have Kohli, Rohit, Pollard or Russell in front, would you go for a spinner. He is definitely better than Narine and you might go for him ahead of Malinga currently but will he be ahead of Bumrah and Starc. No team gives the 20th over to a spinner, so why would you give the Super Over to him. I won’t go with him either,” former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Then, Chopra explained how the effectiveness of Malinga could not be forgotten with his performance in the IPL 2019 finals.
“Lasith Malinga, the lion might have grown old but has not forgotten how to catch its prey. And if you see the earlier days, choosing anyone above Lasith Malinga would be an injustice. Although he won MI the 2019 IPL final with his slower one, he is not my choice right now ahead of Rashid, Bumrah and Starc. So, if I have such options I will not go to Malinga.”
“Mitchell Starc with his height and reverse swinging yorkers, he doesn’t have to bowl slower ones or bouncers. He can put 6 yorkers right on the spot. He can bowl over the wicket or round the wicket, wide yorkers or on the body with pace and an odd ball that climbs on you from three-quarters length.” the cricketer-turned-commentator remarked on Starc.
Further, when Chopra had to make the tough call of the choice of bowler for a Super Over, he went ahead with Bumrah.
“If he is in form, I will go with him. Choosing between him and Bumrah is a very tough call. If you are Australian you will go with him, if you are Indian you will go with Bumrah. Being an Indian and having seen him from close quarters, I will go with him. Jasprit Bumrah will be my pick ahead of Mitchell Starc because Starc may bowl a boundary ball once in a while but Bumrah with his accurate slower ones and yorkers and different style of action makes him special,” Chopra concluded.
