Mohammed Siraj Is Even Ahead Of Jasprit Bumrah, If You Talk Of Skill And Variations - Ashish Nehra

Former India pacer, Ashish Nehra has put Mohammed Siraj ahead of India’s ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in terms of skill and variations.

Ashish Nehra was effusive in praise of the Royal Challengers Bangalore seamer as Siraj continues his superb bowling form from international cricket to the IPL 2021. In the 4 matches so far for RCB this season, twice has Siraj pegged the opposition back with the new ball and has shown remarkable improvements in his death bowling.

Siraj made his Test debut in Australia and returned as the leading wicket-taker for India and even spearheaded the bowling attack in the last Test in Brisbane in absence of the senior pacers.

“When you talk about skill, this has been my thinking in the last three-four years. When it comes to bowlers, everyone talks about Jasprit Bumrah being right up there. But skill-wise, I don’t think Siraj is behind Bumrah, and in all formats,”Ashish Nehra told Cricbuzz.

“There was talk about a couple of years ago that he used to pick up 5-6 wickets in every match for India A with the red ball, and I’ve always believed that a good red-ball bowler, a Test match bowler has a greater chance of succeeding as a white-ball bowler,” he added.

Skill-Wise, He Is Even Ahead Of Bumrah, If You Talk Of Variations: Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra, who has worked with the Hyderabad-born seamer during his stint as bowling coach of RCB, believes that Siraj will become an all-format bowler for India. He reckons the 27-year-old is better than Bumrah “skill-wise” and in terms of change in pace as well.

The 41-year-old asserts that if the youngster can keep up with the fitness level and get better at reading the game, then he will reach great heights.

“There are some bowlers whom you include only for T20s, for white-ball matches. So In think Siraj is a very good all-format bowler. There is no shortage skill, he has all type of variations. I would in fact say that skill-wise, he is even ahead of Bumrah, if you talk of variations.

“He has a different slower one, there is no lack of speed, he can move the new ball. He needs to keep his fitness and sharpen his mind. If he can do these two things well, sky is the limit,” Nehra maintained.

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