Ricky Ponting snubs Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to pick the best bowler in World Cricket

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting has showered rich praise on India’s premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah while hailing his journey.

Bumrah not long ago was grappling with a career-threatening injury, but he has defied the odds to emerge stronger and more lethal than ever across the formats.

Bumrah’s journey back to the top has been nothing short of inspirational. After a grueling rehabilitation period where doubts and uncertainties loomed large, the 30-year-old pacer returned to the game with a renewed vigor that has taken his performance to new heights.

He had missed the 2022 T20 World Cup due to his injury, but he made a triumphant return to the Indian cricket team and won hearts and matches with his resilience and unmatched skill. Ever since the star pacer made his comeback, he has been just unstoppable.

Ricky Ponting showers praise on Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback journey of resilience and mastery with the ball

Ponting pointed out that many were questioning whether Bumrah would ever return as one of the key bowlers for Team India when he was grappling with injuries, but the fast bowler silenced all doubts and critics with his exceptional performances in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Bumrah has not only helped India to win the T20 World Cup 2024 but also emerged as the Player of the Tournament, having impressed one and all with his lethal pace, pinpoint accuracy, and the ability to outthink batter, making him a more dangerous bowler than ever before.

His resurgence has been a major talking point, with experts and former cricketers, including the former Australian captain, marveling at how Bumrah has returned as one of the finest bowlers the game has ever seen. Even Ponting called Bumrah the best all-format bowler of the modern era.

Ricky Ponting said in the ICC Review: “There might have been some fears a couple of years ago when the injuries came in and ‘would he come back the same?’, but I think he’s come back better. I’ve said it for a long time; he’s probably been the best multi-format bowler there’s been in world cricket for the last five or six years.”

Ponting hails Bumrah’s 2024 T20 World Cup dominance; calls him the best bowler of the modern era

In the T20 World Cup 2024, Bumrah was a revelation, as his pace, accuracy, and relentless aggression were on full display, leaving batters bewildered and opponents struggling to cope with his onslaught. He seamlessly blended his experience with his natural flair to bring India out of danger.

Whether it was the crunch moments or the early breakthroughs, Bumrah delivered the best at the mega event. Whether it was his searing yorkers, deceptive slower balls, or his ability to extract movement even on unresponsive pitches, Bumrah showcased a complete arsenal in the T20 World Cup 2024, but what makes his comeback even more remarkable is the consistency he has shown across all formats.

Bumrah has proven his versatility and adaptability, making him a vital asset for Team India across the format, and the legendary Australian cricketer Ponting, who worked with the pacer during his IPL stint with the Mumbai Indians (MI), said that he will finish as one of the greats of the game.

Ponting signed off by saying, “If I watch what he did in the T20 World Cup—the pace is still there; there’s nothing that’s changed with the accuracy or what he can deliver. The skillset is all the same. He’s getting better year on year. So, he would rank right up there. So, when you’ve got that skillset and the consistency that he has, then you’re going to be a great player.”