 "Jasprit Bumrah led India in two Tests against Australia earlier this year. Image: AP")
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has praised Jasprit Bumrah , calling him the best fast bowler in the world at the moment. Speaking on the For The Love Of Cricket podcast with Jos Buttler, Broad said that Bumrah is going to be a big threat for England in the upcoming Test series.
India and England are slated to kick-start their five-match Test series on 20 June at Headingley, Leeds. Ahead of the crucial encounter, which will mark the start of the new cycle of the World Test Championship for India, Broad showered massive praise on the ace bowler.
Broad says Bumrah is the best bowler in the world
“No doubt in my mind he’s the best bowler in the world at the moment. He showed that in Australia. He’s going to be pretty dangerous in these conditions, isn’t he? Certainly someone England won’t want to face across five Tests — if he plays them all, he’ll pick up a shedload of wickets,” Broad said.
Broad also spoke about Bumrah’s personality. He said Bumrah is usually calm and laid-back, but he has a strong fighting spirit when he’s on the field.
“He’s such a calm guy, quite laid-back most of the time — but there’s this amazing competitive streak in him,” Broad said. “That spell in Australia, when he got into a scrap with Sam Konstas and then got Usman Khawaja out — he was screaming and roaring. Every great fast bowler needs that emotion.”
Broad explains why facing Bumrah is difficult
Broad further explained why facing Bumrah is so difficult for batters, especially in Test cricket. He said Bumrah’s smooth run-up and quick delivery can catch batters by surprise, as he releases the ball from about a foot closer than most bowlers. He even compared Bumrah to legends like Shoaib Akhtar and Glenn McGrath.
“When he jogs in, you might think he’s bowling at 70 miles an hour, but then he surprises you at 90. That makes it really hard for a batter to get used to him,” Broad said.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Shoaib Akhtar would sprint in and bowl 100 miles an hour, so you were always ready. Bumrah’s different. His short run-up is very balanced and controlled, and he never loses his rhythm. I always admired Glenn McGrath’s smooth delivery, and Bumrah is very similar in that way,” he added.
Bumrah will not play all five Test matches in England due to workload management. The Indian pacer did not take up the captaincy for the same reason. With Shubman Gill as the new captain, India will look to win even without Bumrah, but there’s no denying that his presence will definitely help.