"Open your mouth carefully" - Former RCB batter's stunning take on Jasprit Bumrah after India's 2025 Asia Cup squad announcement

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter, Mohammad Kaif, has hit out at Jasprit Bumrah’s critics following Team India's announcement for the 2025 Asia Cup. With that, the erstwhile cricketer defended the pacer weeks after insensitive fans claimed that India won both their Tests because the star pacer didn’t feature in them.

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For the unversed, the Shubman Gill-led side settled for a 2-2 draw in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India won the second and fifth Tests in Edgbaston and The Oval by 336 runs and six runs, respectively. Bumrah was rested for these two games to manage his workload.

Kaif wants Bumrah to be an integral part of the white-ball team. The cricketer-turned-commentator expressed gratitude that Bumrah is part of the India squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. He said the speedster only needs to bowl four overs per game, adding that he can be rested against weaker teams. Surprisingly, Bumrah will play his first T20I game after the 2024 T20 World Cup.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said:

“6:15 – Open your mouth carefully because you mentioned that whatever matches we played in England, we lost when he (Jasprit Bumrah) played. You better look at how many matches he has played and India won them, go and find out that as well, regardless of the format. When he plays, how many times does he give match-winning performances? Go and find that stat as well. Bumrah is a promising diamond of India. You don’t report him. There are no stains on him.”

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“I already said that Bumrah might not be seen playing long in Tests, but in white-ball cricket, if India comes in the [Asia Cup] final, then he might play seven games. He will bowl 28 overs, and I am speaking about a two or three-week-long tournament. There is no problem in bowling 28 overs; he will get time to recover. You can rest him in one odd match against Oman or weaker teams. After workload management and a break, he will be used. I think he won’t face any issues in bowling four overs. You need Bumrah in T20 because he can change the course of the game with his bowling,” he added.

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“I am disappointed not to see him in the Asia Cup” – Mohammed Kaif on star India pacer

Mohammad Kaif further expressed his disappointment as Mohammed Siraj missed out on a place in the India squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. He also pointed out that Siraj bagged 16 wickets in the IPL 2025 season. While crediting the Hyderabad pacer for his heroics in the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, he urged the selectors to use his red-hot form. The remarks came as Siraj emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the five-match series, bagging 23 wickets.

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The 44-year-old said in the same video:

“8:30 – There is no Mohammed Siraj as well [in India squad for 2025 Asia Cup], and he will be missed because of the form he was in, the way he bowled in England, bowled longer spells in each game. By bowling that much, you have the bowling form. He plays IPL and picked up wickets as well. If you see, he is bowling exceedingly well in the first 10-12 matches. So, I am surprised he was not in the 20-member side.”

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“I am disappointed because he finished the series 2-2 on his own. We know how well he bowled, and when you have the form, you want to back that bowler, and that’s why I am disappointed not to see him in the Asia Cup. He is an equally brilliant bowler even in white-ball cricket,” he added.

Mohammed Siraj played his last T20I against Sri Lanka in July 2024. The 31-year-old has managed 14 scalps in 16 games at an economy rate of 7.79. In IPL, he has 109 wickets in 108 games at an economy rate of 8.73.

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About the author James Kuanal James has been covering cricket news for Sportskeeda for 3+ years with over 1 crore readership. He has been following the game since 2002 and has not looked back since. A breaking news specialist, he has a previous 3-year work experience at Times of India, English Jagran, NDTV and others, covering all news categories, including sports.

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