Former Australian captain Allan Border lauded Jasprit Bumrah after the gun fast bowler bowled another impressive spell in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane. Bumrah returned with figures of 6-76 against Australia as he was once again right on the money.
However, the ace pacer could not find support from the other end as Australia piled up 445 runs on the board after Rohit Sharma decided to bowl first. In the first session of the second day, Bumrah accounted for Australian openers – Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.
The Indian pack leader then dismissed centurions – Steve Smith, and Travis Head – with the second new ball and also got rid of Mitchell Marsh.
Bumrah has scalped 185 wickets in 42 Test matches and his average is below 20 (19.97). Border said it will be unfair to compare Bumrah with West Indies legend Malcolm Marshall, who had a bowling average of 20.94 in his 81 Test match career with 376 wickets.
“I can’t properly compare him to Marshall because I never faced Bumrah but just watching him there is not much (between them). Bumrah is remarkable. He rarely bowls a spell without taking a wicket. He is different,” Border told the News Corp.
“Because of his action, he lets the ball go later. And he smiles all the time. He can beat a batsman three times in a row and smile each time. I have never seen anyone like him,” he added.
On the other hand, Border said Kohli should have left that ball alone on which the veteran batter got out after scoring only three runs.
“Today’s dismissal, that’s normally a delivery he would have left alone if he was in his best possible form,” former Australian captain Allan Border was quoted as saying by Fox Sports.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with Virat mentally (and) whether he’s just lost that edge,” he further added.
Meanwhile, Bumrah has bagged 18 wickets in five innings of the ongoing series at an average of 11.72.