After Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting hails Jasprit Bumrah’s 'best fast-bowling display of all-time in BGT'

India might have lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 to Australia, but Jasprit Bumrah has won the hearts with his phenomenal bowling brilliance in the five-match Test series Down Under. He absolutely lived up to the hype surrounding his name on the Australia tour.

Team India’s premier pacer delivered one of the best bowling performances ever witnessed in Test cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, leaving former cricketers and cricket experts in awe. The 31-year-old truly dominated the five-match Test series, finishing as the top wicket-taker with a jaw-dropping 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in Australia.

Jasprit Bumrah’s phenomenal bowling earns him the Player of the Series award in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

Jasprit Bumrah’s remarkable bowling performance not only secured him the Player of the Series award but also helped him surpass Indian legend Kapil Dev’s record for the most Test wickets by an Indian bowler in Australia. With 64 wickets to his name at an outstanding average of 17.15, Bumrah now has the most Test wickets in Australia.

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Notably, Kapil Dev scalped 51 Test wickets in Australia. After the end of the BGT 2024-25, Ricky Ponting was quick to praise Bumrah’s performance in the five-match Test series, calling it the greatest fast-bowling display he has ever seen.

The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting admitted that the conditions in Australia favored fast bowlers but noted that Bumrah’s ability to consistently make life difficult for some of the best batters in the world set him apart from others.

Ricky Ponting hails Jasprit Bumrah’s greatest fast-bowling display in Test cricket history

The legendary Australian Ricky Ponting mentioned that Jasprit Bumrah’s pace, precision, and relentless attack left Australia’s top order struggling, making them look out of their depth at times throughout the five-match Test series. With his exceptional performance, Bumrah has yet again proven why he is regarded as one of the most feared bowlers of the modern era.

Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying by ICC: “No doubt, it's probably the best series of fast bowling I've ever seen. Yes, they had good conditions, the fast bowlers, for most of this series. But when you watched him (Bumrah) bowl compared to anyone else in the series, he made batting look so much harder. There's a lot of quality batting in that Australian top order as well, but he made all of them at different times look silly.”

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After Ricky Ponting, Michael Vaughan also praised the bowler. The former England captain said that India might have had a chance to beat Australia in the fifth Test at the SCG and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 if Jasprit Bumrah had been fit to bowl in the final innings.

It could have been a different story if Bumrah had been fit: Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan believes that had Bumrah been available to bowl in the second innings against Australia, India could have turned the game around, potentially winning the SCG Test and drawing the Test series.

India’s bowling attack was already weakened with Mohammad Shami being unavailable for the tour, leaving Bumrah to carry much of the pace bowling burden. However, Bumrah suffered a back spasm and was unable to bowl in Australia’s second innings, resulting in Australia comfortably chasing down the 162-run target in just 27 overs, securing a six-wicket victory.

Michael Vaughan said on Fox Sports: “They have really struggled to back up that man Bumrah. Obviously, he is missing the second innings here on a pitch that offered the seamers plenty. It could have been a different story if Bumrah had been fit.”