Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has picked Jasprit Bumrah as the best fast bowler in the world across formats. Bumrah has been consistently delivering for India in all three versions of the game and has been a stand-out bowler for the team.
The gun fast bowler was at his absolute best in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. Bumrah returned with match figures of 8-72 and bagged Player of the Match. After his heroics at Perth, Bumrah climbed to the number one position in the ICC Test bowler’s rankings.
Bumrah bagged 5-30 in the first innings whereas he claimed 3-42 in the second essay.
Ricky Ponting said on ICC Review, “It was so important for the captain to stand up. I think he showed everyone why he’s clearly the best fast bowler in the world in all formats of the game.”
“What he did there, not only in the first innings but for that entire game – his pace, his consistency, his ability to move the ball, his ability to continually challenge the stumps and hit the stumps, [it] was the difference between him and everyone else that bowled in that game,” the Aussie batting great added.
Ponting said Bumrah has performed consistently at the top level and deserves all the credit for staying one step ahead of the opposition batters.
“I think he’s definitely India’s greatest fast bowler. A lot of the greats before him didn’t play all three formats as much as he has. I can put my hand up and ask people to sit back and watch and say that in T20 cricket, one-day cricket and Test match cricket, he’s clearly the best right now,” the 49-year-old said.
Recently, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said Bumrah could go down as the GOAT and Ponting agreed to the same, adding it could be true if the ace pacer continues to perform at his best.
“It’s not all about wickets. It’s about performing at a high level for a long period of time. We saw the other day when he gets the right conditions, just how good he can be. If he keeps going the way that he is, then there’ll be a lot of people saying what Glenn Maxwell said I’m sure.”
The second Test match between Australia and India, which will be a pink-ball game, will be played at Adelaide Oval from December 6 onwards.
