India’s Jasprit Bumrah fields the ball off his own bowling during play on the day four of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Adam Gilchrist said he was lost for words trying to describe Jasprit Bumrah puncture through Australia’s specialist batting on Sunday. He declared the Indian superstar in the midst of one of stamping his class on Australian series, might be the greatest fast bowler ever witnessed on Australian soil.
“It is just a different ball game, a different planet, that Bumrah is playing on compared to everyone else in the game. It is so impressive to watch,” Gilchrist told Fox Cricket. “We are running out of words to describe it. He is a world class performer, one of the best we have ever seen operating here at the MCG.”
On his way to reaching 202 wickets at a gobsmacking 19.52, Bumrah left behind
Malcolm Marshall (376 @ 20.94), Joel Garner (259 @ 20.97), Curtly Ambrose (405 @ 20.99) and Fred Trueman (307 @ 21.57), Fox quoted.
“Look at the other names on that list. He is ahead of them,” Gilchrist stated, “Every conversation you have with the era who played against those West Indian greats, they say they were near impossible to face. Marshall. Garner. Ambrose. He is head and shoulders above.”
His thoughts were echoed by Ravi Shastri telling foxsports.com.au, “It is a stunning stat because we all know how good the other three were (in) Marshall, Garner and Ambrose,” Shastri said.
It was all the more creditable since Bumrah had played on flat Indian pitches, not always conducive to seamers. “To play half his Test matches in India, almost, in those conditions in the subcontinent, and then to have a strike rate the way he has is unimaginable. No-one would have given a price that, when you saw that list, that an Indian would be there right on top with 200 wickets, to have the best strike rate.
“It’s special and make no mistake, he belongs there. Not for one minute (should anyone) ever doubt you know where this has come from. He belongs there. He’s a great fast bowler and deserves to be with those great fast bowlers.”
The beauty of Bumrah is how he has responded and countered the biggest, booming batter threats Australia has flung at the Indians. In this Test, he’s neutralized Travis Head who traumatized Indians in at Adelaide and Brisbane. He gave it right back to young Sam Konstas after being belted for a few overs by the teen. And finally, he went after the Aussie middle order which gas been defying Indians – snaring Head, Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey in a blazing post-lunch 3-1-4-3 spell, which turned the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in three overs.
“He is literally making the ball talk. The number of times he has beaten the bat is unreal,” Shastri told Fox. “It’s mind boggling stuff, just the skill sets (that he has), and to have that kind of an action which is most unique. I call his run up a hop, skip and jump, and then to (be able to) unleash deliveries with such accuracy and so much variation is unbelievable.
Fox also put out another stat for a minimum 65 wickets in a single season. Jasprit Bumrah has 67 wickets 15.10 in 2024, the best average amongst certified greats – Muttiah Muralidaran (90 wickets at 16.90 in 2006), Ian Botham (66 wickets at 18.19 in 1978), Shane Warne (70 wickets at 18.20 in 1994) and Muttiah Muralidaran (68 wickets at 18.47 in 1998). It makes 2024 truly a Bumrah year.
I’m Manas Ranjan Sahoo: Founder of “Webtirety Software”. I’m a Full-time Software Professional and an aspiring entrepreneur, dedicated to growing this platform as large as possible. I love to Write Blogs on Software, Mobile applications, Web Technology, eCommerce, SEO, and about My experience with Life.
