"Arguably the best fast bowler across the three formats" - Steven Smith heaps praise on Jasprit Bumrah
Veteran Australian great Steven Smith has lauded Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as the best fast bowler across formats presently. With the battle looming between Smith and Bumrah in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year, the 35-year-old sees it as a challenge facing him.
The 30-year-old right-arm pacer crossed 400 international wickets during the recent Test between India and Bangladesh. He has an outstanding record across formats and is quite incisive at all stages of a given game. The Ahmedabad-born cricketer bagged the Player of the Tournament award in India's victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign as he took 15 scalps in eight matches at 8.27 apiece.
Speaking to Star Sports, here's what Smith had to say about Bumrah:
"He's a wonderful bowler, whether I face him with the new ball, slightly older ball, or even the old ball. He's got great skills with all of them. He's a great bowler, arguably the best fast bowler across the three formats. It's always going to be a challenge."
Bumrah also played an instrumental role in India's twin series victory Down Under as he took 21 scalps in four Tests in the 2018-19 leg and 11 wickets in three matches during the 2020-21 tour.
"You don't see any weakness at all in this guy" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Jasprit Bumrah
During the first Test between India and Bangladesh in Chennai, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar observed that the right-arm pacer has a sharp mind and Indian cricket is fortunate for his presence. Manjrekar told ESPN Cricinfo:
"We all know about his variations, his thinking - one of the sharpest thinking fast bowlers. We saw a certain amount of meanness as well in the way he bowled to Taskin. But the one thing that came through today was that he is a bowler without a weakness - whatever the opposition, pitch conditions and that's actually the best way to judge greatness.
"You don't see any weakness at all in this guy. Indian cricket is so fortunate to have him in their side."
India's five-Test tour of Australia begins on November 22.