“Carving his own legacy” - Former India coach compares Jasprit Bumrah to Steyn, Hadlee & other legendary pacers
Former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell has opined that Team India's pace ace Jasprit Bumrah is crafting his own legacy and compared his skills to legends like Richard Hadlee, Andy Roberts, Dennis Lillee and Dale Steyn. Chappell also underlined that the only player standing between Australia and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is Bumrah.
The 31-year-old has been the standout bowler for the tourists in the first two Tests, taking 12 wickets. He was particularly lethal in the series-opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth as he took a fifer to help India gain a 46-run lead despite a first-innings total of only 150. He snared three more in the second innings to help script a massive 295-run win.
Writing in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, the former Team India coach stated:
"While the legends of yesteryear established the foundations, Jasprit Bumrah is carving his own legacy – one that promises to inspire future generations of pacemen. Make no mistake, Bumrah stands between Australia and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy."
Chappell observed that the Ahmedabad-born cricketer mirrors Kiwi legend Hadlee as he strives for perfection with every delivery.
"Bumrah’s meticulousness draws comparisons to Hadlee. His mastery of English conditions, where he averages 22.02, and his ability to exploit even the slightest movement resemble Hadlee’s clinical dismantling of batting orders. Like Hadlee, Bumrah’s focus on perfecting every delivery has made him indispensable in critical moments," he continued.
The 76-year-old also equated Bumrah's brilliance to that of Dale Steyn, claiming that he possesses the ability to turn games single-handedly.
"Bumrah’s standout performances in pressure situations echo Steyn’s influence. His 5-7 against the West Indies in 2019 and 6-33 at Melbourne illustrate his ability to turn games single-handedly. While Steyn’s speed often edged him ahead, Bumrah’s variations, particularly his disguised slower balls, give him a unique weapon."
"Channels Lillee’s ability to unsettle batsmen" - Greg Chappell dissects Indian star's release point
In the aforementioned column, Chappell pointed out how Bumrah's uncomfortable bounce and lethal yorkers reminded him of Dennis Lillee's ruthlessness on the field.
"Bumrah, though less overtly combative, channels Lillee’s ability to unsettle batsmen. His deadly yorkers and disconcerting bounce – especially with his unorthodox release point and trajectory – echo Lillee’s capacity to dictate terms. Bumrah’s quiet intensity and precision make him a nightmare, much like Lillee’s unrelenting aggression," Chappell wrote.
The former Aussie batter recalled the Indian's performance at the MCG in 2018 and reminisced how West Indian legend Andy Roberts used similar variations to outfox batters.
"Bumrah shares Roberts’ cerebral approach. Both bowlers use subtle variations to outfox batsmen, relying on strategy rather than brute force. Bumrah’s spell in the 2018 Boxing Day Test against Australia – culminating in 6-33 – was a modern echo of Roberts’ game-changing bursts."
Australia and India will resume their rivalry in the third Test in Brisbane starting December 14.