Jasprit Bumrah is currently breathing fire at Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. The speedster has become the highest wicket-taker in this five-match series, accounting for 21 wickets in just three games, including two, five-wicket hauls so far, becoming a nemesis for Australian batsmen, especially the top order, that has looked completely clueless against his bowling.
as he gears up for boxing day test, Ravi Shastri, former head coach, heaps praises on Bumrah comparing Indian pacer with the legendary Malcolm Marshall. Shastri also believes that Bumrah has a much greater ability than reading the strengths and weaknesses of a batsman when he spoke to Fox Cricket.
“He is another terrific reader of the game when it comes to batsmen. I thought when I played the best bowler I played against was Malcolm Marshall because he can read conditions and suss out batsmen’s strengths and weaknesses. I think Bumrah is in that category; he is so quick to suss the strengths and weaknesses of a player “, said Ravi Shastri in an interview to Fox Cricket.
New ball or old ball, whatever the condition, Shastri, who has been watching Bumrah evolve from close quarters through the lengths and breadths of the World, said he is equally effective at both ends.
He has picked around 200 wickets and close to a hundred in India at 17, but just look at him in India: you realize that because of its rough conditions the ball will start reversing.That means if he doesn’t take wickets up-front with the new ball at some point, he will be dangerous at the end.” he added.
So far in 12 Tests this year, Bumrah has picked up 62 wickets and now stands a good chance of owning some records. He needs to take six wickets in the Boxing Day Test to surpass Ravichandran Ashwin, who recorded the highest number of wickets for India in one edition of the World Test Championship.
Ashwin, who has since retired from international cricket, had recorded 71 dismissals during 14 matches played in 2019-21, the last WTC cycle. Bumrah, with 66 wickets in this edition, is India’s second leading wicket-taker in WTC.
Six wickets at the MCG will also make Bumrah the fastest Indian pacer to 200 wickets in Test cricket. The benchmark was set by Kapil Dev, who got to the landmark of 200 wickets in his 50th game. Bumrah is currently standing at 194 wickets in 43 games for India.
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