Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has hailed India’s gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for his superb spell against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday. Bumrah bagged his best World Cup figures of 4-39 as he breathed down the neck of the Afghanistan batters with his nagging line and length.
The ace pacer had also got the big wicket of Mitchell Marsh in the opening clash against Australia in Chennai. Similarly, Bumrah dismissed Ibrahim Zadran as he got the ball to move away from the right-hander.
Subsequently, Bumrah accounted for Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, and Rashid Khan at the fag end of the innings. Gambhir lauded Bumrah for delivering in every phase of the innings and feels he should not be compared with Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Speaking to Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir said, “The way he dismissed Mitchell Marsh on that wicket (in the first game against Australia) and the way he dismissed Ibrahim Zadran today, if there is a complete and most lethal bowler in world cricket, it is Bumrah. We compared Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi earlier, there is a huge difference.”
“Tell me one fast bowler who can make such an impact in every phase. Bowlers bowl well either with the new ball or at the death but Bumrah has the same impact in the middle overs as he has with the new ball or the old ball.”
Gambhir added that Bumrah doesn’t need help from the surface as he can produce wickets in all conditions with his skillsets.
“The way he picked up wickets on this wicket, it’s not that they got out while playing bad shots. He dismissed batters while they were defending and then with a slower one and lbw. So Jasprit Bumrah does not need the wicket.”
The cricketer-turned-politician added: “There is only one bowler in world cricket, whether it is ODI or red-ball cricket, who does not need the wicket and has the quality to beat the batters in the air and with the short ball or the slower one.”
India will play their next match against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Saturday.
