Indian vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah appears increasingly likely to lead his nation for this week’s first Test against Australia, meaning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener will have two pace bowling captains on a bouncy Perth deck.
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Rohit Sharma is yet to touch down in Australia following the birth of his second child, with Bumrah the leading candidate to captain India in his absence.
Not since the golden era of the West Indies in the 1970s has a touring pace bowler struck fear into the hearts of Australians as much as Bumrah.
On his two previous Test tours of Australia, the 30-year-old snared 32 wickets at 21.25 including a match-winning 6-33 during the 2018 Boxing Day Test. Since the start of the 20th century, only two touring bowlers have taken more wickets in Australia at a lower average – Sir Richard Hadlee and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
Bumrah returns to Australia as the sport’s greatest multi-format bowler, perhaps even cricketer. He’s a threat in all conditions, against any opposition, in any format.
And for India to achieve an unprecedented three-peat of Test series triumphs in Australia, they’ll need Bumrah at his menacing best.
Asked by Fox Cricket what it’s like facing Bumrah, Australian batter Travis Head replied: “Impossible.”
“You try to feel like you’re one step ahead, but it always feels like he’s that next step,” he continued.
“Any format of the game, he’s incredible. He’s their X-factor, he’s the guy they go to every time, and more often than not, he’s able to produce for them.
“In big moments you want big players, and I think he’s their biggest.
“You’ve got your work cut out as a batter. He’s someone that’s going to be difficult over summer.”
Part of Bumrah’s magic is his signature bowling action, which defies cricket convention. It shouldn’t work, yet it does.
He seems to tiptoe towards the crease, awkwardly skipping along the turf in a disjointed fashion.
“He creeps in like a cat burglar,” former Australian quick Brett Lee laughed.
As he approaches the wicket, his left arm points directly down the wicket while his right arm completes a windmill motion without bending.
Suddenly, the ball’s flying towards you at 140km/h.
“When I first faced Bumrah, I was like, ‘Oh where did that come from?’” Australian opener Usman Khawaja laughed.
“It comes at you a little bit quicker than you expect because of the awkwardness of his action and how he releases the ball.
“Much like Mitchell Johnson, he had a weird action too. The ball used to come out and felt like it got to you quicker because you didn’t get a look at it the whole way. Jasprit’s a little bit the same, with arms going everywhere.”
Steve Smith is one of the few Australians that has thwarted Bumrah, averaging 56.67 against him across formats – but the New South Welshman admits he still feels vulnerable against the Indian speedster early in his innings.
“He’s just awkward with the way he bowls, it’s obviously very different to a lot of other people,” Smith told Fox Cricket.
“It takes a little bit getting used to. I’ve played against him quite a lot now, and it still takes a couple of balls to get used to the different rhythm.”
Jasprit Bumrah vs Australia’s batters
Usman Khawaja – Two wickets at 67.50
Steve Smith – Three wickets at 56.67
Marnus Labuschagne – two wickets at 53.50
Alex Carey – two wickets at 45.50
Mitchell Marsh – two wickets at 30.00
Travis Head – four wickets at 28.50
Countless batters misjudge the length of Bumrah’s deliveries because the T20 World Cup champion gets the ball to skid on certain surfaces courtesy of his low action. He also boasts a brutal bumper, which he’ll no doubt produce on bouncy surfaces such as Perth Stadium and the Gabba.
And because Bumrah’s short run-up isn’t taxing, it allows him to conserve energy and maintain speed throughout the day, bowling lengthy spells when required. Much to the frustration of opposition batters, he keeps coming back for more.
“He’s not reliant on run-up speed, so he’s not reliant on the real physicality of running in, which is normally where a lot of fast bowlers get tired, while he just tiptoes in,” former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson told Fox Cricket.
“But because of his freakish co-ordination, the ball just flies out of his hand.”
While other fast bowlers build up speed through their run-up, Bumrah’s pace is generated from a hyperextended arm and flexible wrist, slinging the ball down faster than anticipated.
“His run-up doesn’t match the speed he bowls, so you can get done by the pace a little bit if he’s just skidding it through,” Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne explained.
“He can swing the ball both ways, he can nip it, and because he’s a class bowler, he’s got a bouncer up his sleeve so he can use that as well to put you under pressure.”
Bumrah also releases the ball further away from the crease than other bowlers, meaning it travels a shorter distance to the batter, adding to the illusion of his added pace.
“His release point’s different as well,” Watson continued.
“His release point’s way in front of the crease, so it actually feels like he’s bowling nearly on top of you. There’s a shorter gap between the ball coming out and the ball hitting your bat.”
Lowest Test bowling average
16.43 – Sydney Barnes (ENG)
20.53 – Alan Davidson (AUS)
20.57 – Jasprit Bumrah (IND)
20.94 – Malcolm Marshall (WI)
20.97 – Joel Garner (WI)
* Minimum 150 wickets
Since his first tour of Australia in 2016, Bumrah has added an assortment of tricks to his repertoire, developing an outswinger and perfecting his variations. He’s now capable of swinging the ball in either direction, while the slower ball that trapped Shaun Marsh on the pads during the 2018 Boxing Day Test shows he’s effectively introduced white-ball skills into the Test arena.
“From when I first faced him, he was only an inswing bowler with variations of speed in T20 cricket, but now for the last number of years, he swings it both ways at speed,” Watson continued.
“The batters who score runs against him, they are absolutely going to be at their very best, because he’s just, he’s that good.”
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green continued: “To be able to (swing the ball both ways) is a pretty ridiculous skill, let alone to do it so accurately.
“Whether he goes outswing or inswing, I don’t think the seam moves. It’s straight.
“To be the best in India, where they love cricket, you’ve got to be exceptional, and that’s what he is.”
The first Test between India and Australia gets underway at Perth Stadium on Friday at 1.20pm AEDT.
