IPL 2020: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult will give MI upper hand vs CSK in season opener, says Gautam Gambhir

IPL 2020: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult will give MI upper hand vs CSK in season opener, says Gautam Gambhir

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes that absence of Suresh Raina will pinch CSK in their season opener and it will be difficult for them to face quality Mumbai Indians pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gautam Gambhir said that CSK will have an upper hand against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 opener
• Gambhir added that Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult will be biggest assets for Mumbai Indians
• It will be huge challenge for CSK to face Bumrah and Boult in absence of Raina: Gambhir

IPL 2020 Mumbai Indian's new acquisition, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult can be Mumbai Indian's most lethal weapon in the IPL 2020, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has said. The former Indian opener added that Boult along with Jasprit Bumrah would have form a lethal combination and can make the difference in the 13th edition opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on September 19.

Gambhir, himself a 2-time IPL winner as captain, said that absence of Suresh Raina would hurt CSK in the opening clash against MI. He stated that Boult moves the new ball into the right-hand batsmen, while Bumrah is an "unorthodox" bowler. Gambhir highlighted that CSK opener Shane Watson does not play international cricket and his presence on other levels is also minimal.

“I am very excited to see how Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah will be bowling together with the new ball. Because Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult are world-class bowlers and both of them are wicket-taking options in T20 cricket. A left-arm seamer who brings the ball in for right-handers and Jasprit Bumrah who is unorthodox.

“It will be a huge challenge for Chennai Super Kings as they don’t have Suresh Raina at No.3, plus Shane Watson does not play much international cricket and has not played cricket for a long time, so how he plays against Bumrah and Trent Boult. We will also have to see with whom he would be opening the batting,” Gautam Gambhir said.

Considering these factors Gautam Gambhir said that Mumbai Indians will have the upper hand against CSK on September 19, when the IPL 2020 kicks off. Gambhir reckoned that Boults inclusion as a new ball bowler will allow the management to use Bumrah in a different manner.

“I feel the Mumbai Indians have the upper hand if you see the balance and depth of the squad.” They have also added Trent Boult to their squad, who will give them a very good option,” Gambhir added.

“Because you want a bowler who can give you wickets with the new ball so that you can use Jasprit Bumrah in a different manner. So I will want to watch how these two perform, not only in the first match, but in the entire tournament,” Gambhir asserted.