IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah vs Jofra Archer - Who's More Effective In IPL Games?

Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer - the two pacers who breathe fear into the batters. Let's try and figure out who can be a more effective bowler for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

In the IPL 2022 mega auction, Mumbai Indians surprised almost all the spectators when they didn't buy many players in comparison to the other teams on the first day of the auction. However, on the second day, it was clear as to why the most successful IPL franchise held their hand on the first day. 

MI decided to go after England pacer Jofra Archer and acquired the pacer for Rs. 8 crores INR. Even though the 26-year old has been out of action since March 2021 due to an elbow operation, Mumbai decided to go after the bowler regardless of him being available this season, as they wanted to play a pace attack led by two pace guns - Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer. 

However, there must be a question amongst cricket fans - who is a better pacer, Jasprit Bumrah or Jofra Archer? Here, we look through IPL stats and leave it up to you to judge who's a better pace asset. 

Archer played the IPL for the first time in 2018 and picked up 15 wickets while representing Rajasthan Royals in 10 innings. He went on to pick 11 wickets in the next 11 innings, and 20 wickets in 14 innings in the 2020 season. The right-arm fast bowler missed out on IPL 2021 due to his elbow operation. 

Bumrah on the other hand has been a find for Mumbai Indians ever since he made his debut in 2013, and has managed 130 wickets in 106 matches with an economy of 7.42 as compared to Archer's 46 wickets in 35 matches with an economy of 7.13. 

Bumrah and Archer seem close enough when it comes to their bowling effectiveness as far as numbers are concerned. Diving into other aspects, Both these bowlers have been used in a similar way in their respective IPL matches. Jofra Archer has been constantly given 2 overs inside the powerplay and an over each in the middle and death overs, or 2 overs in the death overs. 

Similarly, Bumrah also bowls 2 overs in the powerplay and barring a few matches where he bowls an over in the middle as the team requires, finishes his quota by bowling 2 overs in the death.

Both these bowlers are given the ball at crucial times - powerplay and death overs where the opposition is looking to add quick runs, and sometimes in the middle when the bowlers' team requires a breakthrough. 

In the upcoming season of the IPL 2022, Mumbai Indians will play their first match on March 27th against Delhi Capitals at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. As of now, Jofra Archer is still ruled out of the IPL 2022, but looking at reports regarding his recovery, it can be expected that the 26-year old can return later in the season and join forces with Jasprit Bumrah to trouble other batters in the IPL.