"We used to hear of such numbers from Malcolm Marshall or Richard Hadlee"- Former Indian pacer hails Jasprit Bumrah's incredible Test career
Former Indian fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has been in awe of star speedster Jasprit Bumrah's recent performances, especially in the longest format of the game.
Bumrah picked up nine wickets in the second Test against England and helped India level the series in Visakhapatnam with a staggering 106-run win. He has now picked up 155 wickets in just 34 Tests at an outstanding average of 20.19.
Here's what Laxmipathy Balaji was quoted as saying by TOI about Jasprit Bumrah:
"Bumrah's overall average is in the early 20s (20.19) and he has already got 150 plus wickets…We used to hear of such numbers from Malcolm Marshall or Richard Hadlee. This is phenomenal."
He added:
"The angle that Bumrah generates is god's gift. Coming from wide of the stumps, the areas that he can bowl sometimes defies physics. It is Bumrah's ability to take the pitch out of the equation that makes him so special."
Balaji expressed how great it felt that an Indian bowler was delivering performances at the levels of former legends of the game like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
Laxmipathy Balaji on Jasprit Bumrah post-injury
Laxmipathy Balaji himself had issues with back injuries in his playing career and claimed that Jasprit Bumrah returning from his injury lay-off as an even better bowler was remarkable.
Comparing Bumrah's comeback with that of Australian great Dennis Lillee, Balaji stated:
"Bumrah's form on his return from injury is something similar to Dennis Lillee's. The Aussie great, who also suffered a serious back injury (in the late 1970s), but came back as a matured and far more potent bowler. Bumrah is doing just that. He hasn't lost his pace which hasn't diminished his fear factor. I can tell you from experience to do this is incredibly difficult."
Only Sydney Barnes (16.43) has a better bowling average than Jasprit Bumrah among bowlers who have taken more than 150 Test wickets. In the four Tests that he has played post his injury comeback, Bumrah averages a ridiculous 11.66.