Very Few Bowlers In The World Have As Special An Ability As Jasprit Bumrah Has: Gautam Gambhir

Former Indian opener-turned commentator Gautam Gambhir has heaped high praise on Indian pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for his meteoric rise in Test cricket ever since he made his debut in the longest format of the game during the South African tour in the winter of 2018.

Jasprit Bumrah’s debut came as a shock to everyone including pundits of the game who shrugged off the selection as something that was inspired by his white-ball exploits. However, the Gujarat fast bowler did not take much time in proving his detractors wrong and by the fall of 2018, he was leading the Indian team to their maiden Test series win in Australia by claiming as many as 21 wickets during the four-match rubber including a brilliant 6/33 at the MCG.

Bumrah has since then gone to become one of India’s leading fast bowlers. He is only the Asian to claim a five-wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia, and the West Indies. He is also only the second Indian pacer to claim a Test hat-trick, a feat he achieved in the West Indies back in 2019.

People tend to attribute Jasprit Bumrah’s unorthodox action to his success, but Gautam Gambhir reckons that the champion fast bowler has gained so much success not because of his action but because of the skills that he possesses.

“Quality, a lot of people might have said that his action makes him quite deceptive but that is not the case. When Sunil Narine came, he was also labelled a mystery bowler but that is not the case.” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’

“The mystery gets solved sometime or the other, you get used to player’s action when you keep on playing him but it is the sort of quality and skill Jasprit Bumrah has.” he added.

Gautam Gambhir further added that Jasprit Bumrah, just like Mohammed Shami, Pat Cummins, Jofra Arpossesses the rare skill of troubling a batsman even when he is well-set.

“He is probably the only bowler in world cricket, I can probably think of one or two other bowlers like Pat Cummins or Jofra Archer and Mohammed Shami, when he bowls with the red ball that the batsman is never set. He can bowl a delivery, even if you are batting on 200 runs against a 70-over old ball, which can get you out caught behind. And he never lets you get relaxed. Very few bowlers have this quality.” he added.

Also Read: It Will Be Hard Ask For India To Stay In The Contest Without Jasprit Bumrah: Brad Hogg