• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Shami Or Bumrah Who Will Pick More Wickets In World Cup Gambhir Predicts

Shami Or Bumrah; Who Will Pick More Wickets In World Cup? Gambhir Predicts

image-los9066oJasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have been prolific 

Former Indian cricketer, Gautam Gambhir has predicted that Mohammed Shami is likely to outdo Jasprit Bumrah in terms of wicket-taking at the World Cup 2023.

Gambhir's assessment, shared during a discussion on Sportskeeda's YouTube channel, centres on the strategic approach of opposition batters towards Bumrah.


Shami or Bumrah? Gambhir's makes his pick for most wickets in World Cup 2023

Gambhir highlighted that opposition teams tend to be wary of taking risks against Bumrah, acknowledging his skills as a bowler. According to Gambhir, this cautious approach could result in Bumrah maintaining an impressive economy rate but potentially securing fewer wickets compared to Shami. 

He explained that the best bowlers, like Bumrah, often face the challenge of opposition batters opting to play defensively against them, resulting in fewer opportunities for taking wickets.

“It’s a tough one. I think Shami because people do not take on Jasprit Bumrah. He’s too good a bowler for an opposition to take him on. A lot of times, the best bowler will not have the most number of wickets. The reason is that the opposition thinks let’s see him off. If you observe Jasprit Bumrah’s initial spell, no one wants to take him on. A lot of times, the team’s best bowler would have a very good economy rate, but he won’t have a lot of wickets,” said Gambhir.

In contrast, Gambhir believes that Shami could benefit from this scenario. As teams might target Shami more aggressively due to the pressure exerted by Bumrah, it opens up more opportunities for Shami to claim wickets. 

Despite this, Gambhir highlighted Bumrah's critical role in the Indian team, describing him as the 'X factor' and a significant contributor to the team's overall strength.

“I feel Shami [will take more wickets], from the point of view that oppositions will look to attack him because of Jasprit Bumrah. And he’s bowling one change. I still feel Jasprit Bumrah is the X factor in the team. This Indian team is such a strong team because of him. But Shami will have more wickets," added the former opener.

Gambhir's prediction comes against the backdrop of both Bumrah and Shami showcasing exceptional performance in the tournament. Bumrah has already taken 15 wickets in eight matches at an average of 15.53, while Shami has claimed 16 wickets in just four matches at an impressive average of seven.