Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded India pacer Jasprit Bumrah for delivering a stunning spell on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa. He added that the speedster set the batters up before dismissing them as well. Bumrah registered figures of 5/27 in 14 overs as India bowled South Africa out for 159 in their first innings in Kolkata on Friday, November 14, as well.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra said, “Honestly speaking, in Test cricket, in any case, you don’t get wickets as soon as you roll your arm over. You need to bowl long spells, and you were bowling at the right spots. You constantly cook a wicket, and that’s why Test cricket is so interesting. You need to make gourmet biryani in an era of two-minute noodles.”
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli
“Anil Kumble said a very good thing. You hear many times that a bowler shouldn’t be predictable in T20Is and ODIs. In Test cricket, it’s said that you need to be predictable. Bumrah is not that. That’s why he is different from everyone. He bowls full and short with the new and old balls, and changes the angles. He is not predictable at all. There is indeed no one like Jassi,” Chopra added.
On Star Sports, Aakash Chopra also opined that Jasprit Bumrah has the best average among bowlers with more than 200 Test wickets as well.
“Indian pacers don’t pick up so many wickets. Kapil Dev took 227 innings to reach 23 five-wicket hauls. Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, one played 90 Tests and the other played 100, have 11 five-wicket hauls apiece. He (Bumrah) has reached 16 five-wicket hauls in 96 innings only. He hasn’t bowled in 100 innings and he has reached the second spot. The speed with which he is taking five-wicket hauls on Indian pitches, it seems like it’s a misnomer that fast bowlers have difficulties in India. Let’s also not forget that he used to have Ashwin and Jadeja along with him. They used to take the bulk of the wickets. We have seen Ashwin picking up wickets with the new ball. Considering that, Jasprit Bumrah doing this job is absolutely incredible,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
