World Cup: Will Bumrah break the NZ code at Dharamshala?

New Delhi: Team India is gearing up for its next match against New Zealand at Dharmshala on Sunday in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. Team India has already captured the second spot on the point table after New Zealand.

This match will likely be a new test for trustworthy Jasprit Bumrah and his reputation as the best all-format bowler in world cricket.

Reason! Almost all the top batsmen are on Bumrah’s list as his victims. But bowling against New Zealand's betting lineup is still a myth for spectacular and high-class Bumrah, a first-spell striker.

The hillside town of Dharamshala is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. Thousands of tourists come here for peace and blessings. However, this Himachal tourist spot will be a place of cricketing ‘Moksha’ for Bumrah on Sunday.

Since the last World Cup in England in 2019, Bumrah has been bowled against New Zealand in four matches as a new ball bowler. The New Zealand betting lineup has negotiated his forty overs in these matches without any trouble. Only Martin Guptil failed to read a tight off-stump line attack by the Bumrah in the Manchester World Cup game.

Just read this stat: In these four matches, Bumrah has spent 206 runs and taken only one wicket in the 40 overs he bowled to the New Zealand batsman.

Manchester (England), Hamilton, Auckland, and Mount Maunganui (New Zealand) were the venues for these matches. Weather and conditions in these venues have always been a bonus point for the new ball bowlers.

So far, Bumrah has played 11 ODI matches against New Zealand. Overall, 13 New Zealand wickets are in his kitty, with a strike rate of 46.09.

The Dharamshala match is an opportunity for Bumrah to correct his record against the last World Cup semi-finalist, New Zealand.

Bumrah is a bowler with an unorthodox action who has a strong mentality and willingness to improve and perform.

There is no reason for the followers of Bumrah to lose faith in him. He is the backbone of the India bowling attack, and on his day, he can provide the best of his cricketing life.

"I thought the last few years—a couple of years—had been really tough. It is tough to miss like Bumrah,” said Paras Mhambrey, Indian bowling coach, after the match against Bangladesh on Thursday. “You have seen him in the last three games that he has played. What he brings to the table is that he is a world-class bowler. He gives you that breakthrough that you require in power plays. He's well adapted to bowl in the middle overs, and he's a top-gun dead bowler."

Still, economical and result-oriented bowling during his first spell against in-form Devon Conway, Will Young (openers), Rachin Ravindra, and Tom Latham is going to be the biggest test for Bumrah as a wicket-taking bowler for the team.