"Better In Long Run": Ex-India Star Explains Why Jasprit Bumrah Coming Back In Afghanistan Series Is The Right Move

"Better In Long Run": Vivek Razdan on Bumrah's Return & the Shreyas Iyer Question

Namaste, cricket lovers. Let me share some thoughtful words that struck a chord with me—like a well-composed ragna unfolding in the early hours.

Bumrah's Gentle Return

Former India pacer Vivek Razdan believes Jasprit Bumrah's comeback through the upcoming T20I series vs Afghanistan is the right call. After recovering from a left knee injury, the shortest format offers a softer landing:

> "When you come back to full fitness, it is better to choose the smallest format because you get time for achieving that. You have 4 overs and can bowl in 2 spells. So it is easier for you to catch the rhythm again."

Razdan rightly notes that returning via the longest format carries higher re-injury risk. For a matchwinner with 121 scalps in 95 T20Is—and a 2024 T20 WC Player of the Tournament—Bumrah's fitness matters more than any single series. India's T20I fortunes have dipped since June, so this is a genuine boost.

The Shreyas Iyer Captaincy Weight

Then, the harder topic. With just 3 wins in 10 T20I games since taking charge in June, Razdan reminded us that leading India carries the weight of 140 crore hearts:

> "If you want to captain the Indian team, you do carry expectations of more than 140 crore people... That pressure will always be there, and you can't run away from it."

He pointed to the unavoidable shadow of predecessor Suryakumar Yadav, who won the T20 World Cup before Iyer took over. But there's hope—Razdan believes tactical growth will come, and that consistent wins may wash away past results.

A Quiet Truth

One line resonated deeply: "When the team performs well, the captain's job becomes easier. The captain's problems increase when the team doesn't perform." Leadership, like music, is harmony—not solo.

The Afghanistan series looms tough, with the Asian Games next. Patience, perhaps, is the melody we should all learn.

Source: NDTV Sports