"Jassi jaisa koi nahin" - Aakash Chopra lauds Jasprit Bumrah for his 5-wicket haul on Day 2 of the 3rd India vs South Africa Test
Aakash Chopra has showered praise on Jasprit Bumrah for his five-wicket haul in South Africa's first innings of the third and final Test against India.
Team India seemed to have ceded the advantage to the Proteas when they were bowled out for 223 runs on the first day of the Cape Town Test. However, their seamers, led by Bumrah, helped them bounce back into the contest as they dismissed the hosts for 210 runs in their first essay.
While reviewing the second day's play in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was effusive in his praise for Jasprit Bumrah. He said:
"You need to put in a lot of effort to take a five-wicket haul. This five-wicket haul showed that Jassi jaisa koi nahin hai. When he is in his rhythm, I mean when he bowling at his full tilt, it's a delight to watch."
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Bumrah has not lived up to his lofty standards since his injury and had not been at the top of his game during the South Africa series either. Chopra elaborated:
"Jasprit Bumrah was looking a little off-color in this entire series. There was even an article that there has been a fall in his effectiveness since his injury. The standards are still very high, it is not that he has become half a bowler but the numbers were becoming slightly ordinary as per the standards he had set."
Although Bumrah picked up five wickets in the Boxing Day Test, he managed just a solitary scalp in Johannesburg. He even went wicketless when India were defending a 240-run target in the second innings at the Wanderers.
"Jasprit Bumrah took important wickets" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Jasprit Bumrah struck vital blows at regular intervals during the South African innings. He explained:
"He had already taken a wicket, he had dismissed Dean Elgar. Aiden Markram left a delivery right at the start and Bumrah showed that he owns the place. He kept on picking wickets regularly, he took important wickets, he eventually dismissed the well-set Keegan Petersen."
The 44-year-old concluded by naming Bumrah as his player of the second day's play. Chopra observed:
"This series has gone in the fast bowlers' names - whether it is Rabada, Shami, Shardul Thakur, Ngidi, Marco Jansen or Boom Boom. It's been absolutely sensational. So my player of the match for the second day's play has to be Boom Boom Bumrah."
How good is @Jaspritbumrah93 !!! I reckon across all formats he is the best in the World at the moment .. #SAvIND
While Bumrah snared five wickets, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur also played their roles to perfection. While Shami and Yadav took a couple of wickets apiece, Thakur broke the irritating ninth-wicket partnership between Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier.