England vs India 2021: Jasprit Bumrah Reminds Me Of Dale Steyn - Kevin Pietersen

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen commended Jasprit Bumrah’s knack of picking up wickets in any conditions and tear through any batting line-up. The ferocity and intensity with which Bumrah bowls each ball reminds Pietersen of South African bowling legend Dale Steyn.

Bumrah turned the fourth Test against England on its head with a magnificent display of reverse swing bowling. His figures essentially read (6-3-6-2), which included a plethora of pacy yorkers. The spell had England skipper Joe Root on the back foot, putting into perspective the kind of skill on display.

“He can build long spells, but also bowl with intensity, accuracy, pace, and discipline. In that sense, he reminds me of Dale Steyn, who announced his retirement last week.”

“Steyn, for me, is the greatest fast bowler of all time, largely because he did it in all conditions. Bumrah might never hit the heights of Steyn, but his ability to tear through an opposition in any part of the world sets him apart,” Pietersen said.

“There’s no element of his game that isn’t as strong as the rest” – Kevin Pietersen

On a flat placid track at The Oval, the England bowlers struggled to restrict India. Another lower-order masterclass from Indian batsmen sent the hosts on a leather hunt and eventually set a target of 368 in around four sessions. It was achievable with the kind of form Root was in, but Bumrah had other ideas.

In the post-lunch session, the ball roughened up enough for the 27-year-old to generate some reverse swing. He made the most of it, knocking over Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow, the latter getting what could potentially be the ball of the series.

“Jasprit Bumrah’s spell on the fifth afternoon at The Oval won India the Test match, put them in charge of the series, and proved why he is the best fast bowler in the world. He’s just fantastic, there’s no element of his game that isn’t quite as strong as the rest,” Pietersen concluded.

Although his figures at the end don’t quite show the impact he had, Indian fans and the cricketing fraternity know the vital role played by Bumrah.

Also Read – England vs India 2021: Ashish Nehra Praises Rohit Sharma’s Shot-Making Repertoire