Bumrah deserves credit for consistency: Bond

Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond on Friday heaped praise on the team's young pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his consistent performance for India over the past couple of months, especially in the just concluded World T20 cricket tournament.

Defending champions Mumbai start their ninth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign against new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants at the Wankhede Stadium here.

"I think last year he (Bumrah) was coming into the matches, after serious knee injury, so didn't see the best of him. But his development over the last year is credit to himself the manner of hard work he has put in. And I think he is a player who is in up and up. The way he particularly bowled for India in the World T20, he has been one of the best bowlers," Bond said at the pre-match press conference here.

"And for us, in my point of view is great to get him back, also with the form that he is in and also with the confidence he is in. He has got great skills like the way he is bowling so he adds a great amount to our team," the former New Zealand pacer added.

Speaking on the ways how to counter the batsmen, who are bringing about innovative shots in the shortest format of the game, the 40-year-old, "There is lot more technology in the game now, particularly in the analytical side of the game. It is about working out where and whom the batsman wants to target at some point of the game and what bowlers you want to bowl to a particular batsman."

"There are the things behind the scenes to give us the best chance of winning. At the end of the day the bowlers have to undergo pressure and bowl in the right areas. But we know if we are well prepared and organised and execute our skills very well with such a good bowling line-up, we will be reasonably successful," Bond concluded.