India’s patchy displays at the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been majorly blamed on their batting struggles which seeped into the third Test in Brisbane. The visitors managed to draw the match, with a bit of help from the inclement weather, but the team management will be hoping to get their batting department back to form. Jasprit Bumrah, more or less, has been the solitary hero for India in this series.
The pacer once again showed his class with a six-wicket haul in the first innings in Brisbane, and then followed it up with three dismissals in the second innings. In the second Test, which saw Australia level the series at 1-1, Bumrah took a four-wicket haul in the first innings. Meanwhile, he was declared Player of the Match in Perth for a five-wicket haul in the first innings and then backed it up with three in the second.
Brett Lee lauds Jasprit Bumrah
On Sunday at the Gabba, he dismissed both of Australia’s openers, and then removed centurions Steve Smith, Travis Head with the new ball. Speaking on Fox Sports, Aussie legend Brett Lee, regarded as one of the best pacers in cricket history, called Bumrah ‘world class’, and also had a comment for Mohammed Siraj, who has been trying to fill in the void left by Mohammed Shami. Shami recently returned to domestic action, but has been struggling with knee issues which has affected his return to international cricket.
“He is world class, Jasprit Bumrah. Unfortunately, they had no Mohammed Shami, but I think the backing of Mohammed Siraj — there has been a bit of conjecture around him — but I think he has bowled really well,” he said.
“In my opinion, they have an attack that has some good pace bowlers, but the reason why people say or think he is shouldering the whole load of the attack is that he is so good.
“He is miles ahead of any other bowler, and that is no disrespect to the other bowlers going around, but that is how good he is”, he said.
On Australian soil, Bumrah has scalped 53 Test wickets at 17.15, the most among Indians. In Shami’s absence, Siraj has not always been upto the mark and has found it hard to find wickets at key moments. Meanwhile, the management has shuffled between Harshit Rana and Akash Deep.
Bumrah has averaged 9.81 vs Australia’s top seven, and the other Indian bowlers have collectively averaged 42.79, which shows the importance of Bumrah and also the impact of Shami’s absence.
