Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar has urged the Indian team management to use Jasprit Bumrah wisely against Pakistan on Sunday in Colombo in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Having missed the first game against United States of America (USA) due to illness, Bumrah returned to the playing XI against Namibia, picking up a wicket.
Bangar’s observation came in after Bumrah was used as a fourth change bowler by Suryakumar Yadav against the Namibians, and finishing with figures of 1/20 in his four overs. Usually a new-ball bowler, Suryakumar brough Bumrah into the attack after the powerplay in Delhi. Bangar noted that Bumrah’s ability to pick wickets inside the first six overs will help India.
“Wherever you utilise Jasprit Bumrah, he is obviously going to add value,” aid the former cricketer to JioStar. “But I feel that he could be used right at the start to try and get early wickets and make early inroads into the opposition. Wickets in the Powerplay count for a lot, especially against stronger opponents like Pakistan. So, I am expecting Bumrah to open the bowling against Pakistan,” added Bangar, who played 27 games for India.
Sanjay Bangar wants Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion
With the wickets in Colombo assisting spinners, Bangar wants Kuldeep Yadav to be included in the playing XI at the expense of Arshdeep Singh. The left-arm chinaman warned the bench during India’s first two matches, with Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy being the two spinners.
“I do think that India will beef up their spin attack because when they played Pakistan in the 50-over Champions Trophy, they used four spinners. Going by that, India clearly feel that the Pakistani batsmen can have trouble facing spin. So, I would certainly back the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in place of one of the seamers, and that seamer will have to be Arshdeep Singh,” he said.
In the first two games, India have lost wickets to spinners in the middle overs. Bangar remarked that India would focus a lot on their batting against Pakistan. In the first two matches of this World Cup, India have lost wickets to spin in the middle overs. But I think that could also be because they were batting first and were expected to score in excess of 200–220 runs.
“However, in the game against Pakistan, I believe they will assess the conditions much better. Their shot selection on a bigger ground could be slightly different. So, I don’t see that pattern being repeated against Pakistan. They will bat in a different fashion, perhaps rotate the strike more and look to run plenty of twos and threes, because the ground in Colombo is quite big,” concluded Bangar.
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