Last Updated:December 25, 2024, 22:51 IST

Ravi Shastri has heaped praise on Bumrah, comparing the Indian pacer with legendary Malcolm Marshall.

Jasprit Bumrah has been breathing fire in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. The ace speedster is currently the leading wicket-taker of the five-match series, picking up 21 in just three games, including a couple of fifers. Bumrah has been the nemesis of the Australian batters, especially the top order, which has looked clueless against his bowling.

As he gears up for the Boxing Day Test, former head coach Ravi Shastri has heaped praise on Bumrah, comparing the Indian pacer with legendary Malcolm Marshall. Speaking on Fox Cricket, Shastri believed that Bumrah has a great ability to read a batter’s strengths and weaknesses.

“He’s a terrific reader of the game when it comes to batsmen. I thought when I played the best bowler I played against was Malcolm Marshall, because of his ability to suss out conditions, and read batsmen’s strengths and weaknesses. I think Bumrah is in that category. He’s so quick to suss the strengths and weaknesses of a player,” Ravi Shastri told Fox Cricket.

Shastri, who has seen Bumrah evolving from close quarters, highlighted the pacer’s effectiveness with both new and old balls, irrespective of conditions.

“He’s taken close to 200 wickets and close to a hundred in India, and he’s taken those at 17. In India, you must realise the ball starts reversing, because of the rough conditions. So, if he doesn’t take wickets with the new ball, he’s dangerous at the end,” he added.

Bumrah has picked up 62 wickets in 12 Tests played so far this year and will have a fair chance to own a few more records. If he scalps 6 wickets in the Boxing Day Test, he will surpass Ravichandran Ashwin with most wickets for India in a single edition of the World Test Championship.

Ashwin, who recently retired from international cricket, dismissed 71 batters in 14 matches played during the 2019-21 WTC cycle. Bumrah, who is India’s second-leading wicket-taker in WTC, has 66 wickets to his name in the ongoing edition.

Six wickets at the MCG will also make Bumrah the Indian pacer fastest to 200 wickets in Test cricket. Kapil Dev holds the record, reaching 200 wickets in his 50th game. Bumrah currently has 194 wickets in 43 matches for India.

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Melbourne, Australia