The last time India visited for a complete tour to Australia in 2018-19, they registered a historic 2-1 Test series win Down Under. The Indian fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah played a crucial role in India winning the series by a comfortable margin. He scalped 21 wickets and was the joint-highest wicket-taker along with spinner Nathon Lyon in the series.
With a splendid performance in IPL 2020, where he scalped as many as 27 wickets and was the second-highest wicket-taker after Delhi Capitals (DC) fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada, the expectations from Bumrah are even higher in the upcoming series. He has proven to be a wicket-taking bowler for India and his performance will be directly proportional to India’s chances of winning the series Down Under.
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Australian fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood, who was part of that series where his team suffered the loss against India, also admitted that Bumrah would be the player to watch out for.
Talking about Jasprit Bumrah, Hazlewood said, “Bumrah is probably the standout. He is unique with his action. He maintains pace very well throughout the day and the whole series. He is probably the key. He can take wickets up front or with the old ball. I guess it’s about getting a lot of overs into him, try to tire him out in the first couple of games.”
The Australian pacer, who had scalped 13 wickets in the last series against India, also went on to acknowledge that over the last couple of years Indian pace bowling unit has shown tremendous improvements. Hazlewood also equated the India-Australia rivalry to that of the Ashes.
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Hazlewood elaborated, “They out-bowled us the last time they came. If Ishant Sharma gets here at some point it will add to their strength. For the last 10-15 years, Indian pacers have kept improving. Our batters will have to be on their toes to counter that. Australia-India rivalry is up there with the Ashes. India has probably added to it, the last time when they came here and won. That was some tight series. I will remember that.”