IND vs AUS: Bhuvneshwar has been a very good finisher, Matthew Hayden backs India pacer to bowl death overs

Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden has backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl the death overs, saying the India pacer has been a very good finisher.

Debates have sparked on whether Bhuvneshwar should bowl the death overs after he leaked 16 runs in the penultimate over against Australia in the first T20I at Mohali. With Australia needing 18 runs from 12 balls, India captain Rohit Sharma handed the ball to Bhuvneshwar.

However, Matthew Wade smashed three back-to-back boundaries to bring the equation down to two runs off the final over. Incoming Pat Cummins took Australia home in style with a boundary and secured a four-wicket win for Australia against India.

“I disagree with that,” Matthew Hayden said on being asked whether Bhuvneshwar is adept enough to bowl the death overs for India.

“I think he can and has been a very good finisher. I think that is his role. I mean, obviously, his role is to take wickets up front but if your skipper wants an over or two from you at the end, then he can do that,” Hayden said while speaking on Star Sports show ‘Match Point’.

This is the third consecutive time for Bhuvneshwar leaking runs in the 19th over, having conceded 14 runs against Sri Lanka and 19 runs against Pakistan in the recently concluded Asia Cup.

India posted an imposing total of 208/6 thanks to Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 71 not out off 30 balls, KL Rahul (55 off 35) and Suryakumar Yadav (46 off 25). In reply, India got an early wicket of Aaron Finch before Cameron Green and Steve Smith started threatening India.

Axar Patel got rid of Cameron Green (61 off 30), who was twice dropped by Axar and KL Rahul. Umesh Yadav gave India some hopes with the quick dismissals of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. However, Matthew Wade and debutant Tim David took the match deep before handing their side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.