Former Australia head coach and two-time World Cup winner Darren Lehmann has expressed his admiration for Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, describing him as one of the most impactful bowlers he has ever seen. In a recent interview, Lehmann compared Bumrah’s influence to legendary players like Wasim Akram and Glenn McGrath, emphasizing the bowler’s unmatched dominance in a single series.

Lehmann lauded Bumrah’s leadership potential, hinting he could take over as India’s captain once Rohit Sharma steps down.

“I presume Bumrah is the next captain when Rohit finishes. He did a really good job in Perth. He is the best bowler I have ever seen live,” Darren Lehmann told PTI. “I’ve seen Wasim Akram and Glenn McGrath, but I’ve never witnessed a bowler have such an impact in a single series like Bumrah. His performance reminds me of Mitchell Johnson’s dominance in the 2013-14 Ashes. With 30 wickets already, Bumrah has been outstanding. He’ll excel as India’s leader when the time comes.”

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Shifting his focus to Australia, Lehmann highlighted concerns about the team’s batting depth, though he remains optimistic about their bowling reserves. He noted the strength of Australia’s current pace attack, featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, and Michael Neser, all of whom are in their early to mid-30s.

“I’m not worried about our bowling; we have promising talents like Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett coming through. The spinners are in decent shape, but batting is our main challenge right now,” Darren Lehmann said. “With some greats retiring, changes are inevitable. The fast bowling unit should hold strong, but how long Cummins and Starc can sustain their form remains to be seen. Hopefully, they’ll make it to the next Ashes.”

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When asked about coaching the Indian team, Lehmann dismissed the idea, stating he had no plans to return to international cricket. “It would have been an honour to coach India, but I’m done with international cricket. My focus now is on helping young players improve,” Lehmann concluded.