Wasim Akram: Bumrah needs county cricket

Jasprit Bumrah, who has recently broken into the Indian Test team after initially announcing himself in the T20 arena, and claimed 14 wickets in three appearances in South Africa

^{Jasprit Bumrah needs time in county cricket, says Wasim Akram}

Wasim Akram says Jasprit Bumrah needs a spell in English county cricket in order to fully flourish as a bowler.

Bumrah, who has recently broken into the Indian Test team after initially announcing himself in the T20 arena, and claimed 14 wickets in three appearances in South Africa.

However, swing legend Akram says he is far from the finished product and insists that time in the County Championship would do the 24-year-old a world of good.

"If Bumrah plays at least a month of county cricket every year, trust me, he will be a better bowler. But then Indian board has to tell Bumrah that forego a month’s IPL and play county cricket," Akram said.

JASPRIT BUMRAH TEST RECORD

Matches: 3

Wickets: 14

Average: 25.21

Best: 5-54

"He has had a good start to his Test career after starting off as a T20 specialist. So it’s a kind of change in mindset that is slowly happening for him.

"If people are talking about not having an outswinger, I won’t be bothered much.

"But if Bumrah can learn how to straighten the ball after pitching coming from wide of the crease, more often than not, it will be his wicket-taking delivery.

"He just needs to use a bit of wrist for that."

^{Bumrah has 14 Test wickets}