Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace sensation, has made an emphatic return to international cricket. After a successful comeback series against Ireland and a stellar performance leading India’s pace attack at the Asia Cup, Bumrah’s form is peaking just in time for the ICC World Cup. In a low-scoring encounter, the senior pacer, alongside veteran Mohammed Shami, orchestrated a dramatic batting collapse by the defending champions, England.
In a thrilling encounter at the ICC World Cup, India hammered England by a significant margin of 100 runs. The Men in Blue showcased a brilliant bowling performance, led by Bumrah and Shami, which left the reigning world champions in disarray.
Legendary Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram, known for his mastery of swing and seam, was quick to hail Jasprit Bumrah as the best in the business. Discussing India’s bowling masterclass against England on A Sports, Akram couldn’t help but gush about Bumrah’s skills. He referred to Bumrah as “the best in the world right now,” and here’s why.
Akram emphasized that Bumrah is a complete bowler. He possesses extraordinary control, pace, and an array of variations that make him a treat to watch. Bumrah’s control of the new ball and his ability to generate movement on various pitches are remarkable. His pace, ability to extract bounce, and precise follow-through make him a formidable force.
“He is the best in the world right now. Top of the ladder! The control, the pace, the variations, just a complete bowler. A treat to watch. With the new ball, to get this kind of movement on this kind of pitch … pace, carry, follow-through… you name it, he’s a complete bowler,” Wasim said.
One of Bumrah’s defining traits is his ability to deceive batters with variations. When Bumrah bowls to a left-hander from around the wicket, he hits the seam. However, when he bowls from wide of the crease, the ball appears to be coming inside but moves away sharply after pitching. This variation keeps the batters guessing and often leads to their downfall.
“When Bumrah is bowling to a left-hander from around the wicket and hits the ball on the seam… And when he’s bowling from wide of the crease, the batter will think the ball is coming inside. He will play for that angle, but the ball hits the pitch and moves away rather than coming in. Most of the time, you will be beaten. When I used to bowl outswingers like that to right-handed batters with the new ball, sometimes I couldn’t control the ball either. But Bumrah has better control with the new ball than myself,” Wasim further explained.
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“The length where he bowls with the new ball creates uncertainty for the batters. Bumrah ka ek hi ilaaj hai uspe pressure daalne: uske spikes chori karlo. Aur koi hal nahi hai (There’s only one way to put pressure on Bumrah. Steal his bowling spikes. There’s no other cure),” Wasim joked.
In the recent encounter against England, Bumrah shared seven wickets with Shami. He dismissed notable English batters, including Dawid Malan, Joe Root, and Mark Wood. Bumrah’s 32 runs conceded, and three wickets in 6.5 overs showcased his value to the team.
With an average of 15.07, Bumrah is the second-highest wicket-taker at the ODI World Cup in India. He has accumulated 14 wickets in just six World Cup matches, displaying his exceptional skills on the grand stage.
