"The speedometer's keys were in his hands" - Irfan Pathan lauds Jasprit Bumrah's performances in BGT 2024-25
Irfan Pathan has lauded Jasprit Bumrah for his outstanding performances throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. He pointed out that the right-arm seamer altered his pace based on the requirements.
Australia beat India by six wickets in the final Test in Sydney on Sunday (January 5) to win the five-match series 3-1. However, Bumrah was chosen as the Player of the Series for his scintillating bowling performances.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked about his thoughts on Bumrah's performances in the series.
"Since he came back from surgery, he could have bowled at more than 140 kph whenever he wanted. You didn't see him bowl 140 kph regularly because he knew he was the lone workhorse. So the average speed was around 136 kph," he responded.
"When (Sam) Konstas pushed him, his balls were going at 141 kph, and when the rest of the batters were playing, he was changing his speed and troubling them at 136 kph also. So the speedometer's keys were in his hands," the former India all-rounder added.
Pathan noted that Bumrah kept Test cricket as his top-most priority despite returning from back surgery. He added that he salutes the unconventional seamer for that attitude.
"Fleming and McGrath said in front of everyone that they had to date not seen a bowler on Australian soil like Jasprit Bumrah" - Irfan Pathan
![Jasprit Bumrah couldn't bowl in Australia's second innings of the Sydney Test due to a back issue. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/a8c7d-17360688467829-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, Irfan Pathan disclosed that former Australian seamers Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming placed Jasprit Bumrah on a high pedestal.
"Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming and I were sitting with the members on the morning of the first day. Fleming and McGrath said in front of everyone that they had to date not seen a bowler on Australian soil like Jasprit Bumrah, who picks up wickets in every spell and keeps their Australian batters scared," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Bumrah enjoyed the upper hand against Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Usman Khawaja.
"He got Travis Head out twice in a match and regularly kept the pressure on him. Mitchell Marsh was a walking wicket in front of him. Usman Khawaja got out to him six times in five matches. Jasprit Bumrah comes, Usman Khawaja goes, we got to see that regularly. It's not enough no matter how much you praise him," Pathan observed.
Bumrah picked up 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in nine innings in BGT 2024-25. It's the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in an overseas Test series.