Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has showered praise on Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, terming him the greatest bowler in all three formats of the game. Clarke, who captained Australia to the 2015 ODI World Cup trophy, feels that India will miss the services of Bumrah immensely in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Bumrah, 31, was excluded from the high-profile tournament last week after suffering a lower back injury. The top pacer, who was voted the ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2024, has been unavailable since January 2025, creating a huge void in India’s bowling lineup.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke highlighted Bumrah’s contribution and what India is going to miss when he is not there. “No doubt they’ll miss Bumrah. He’s a big loss. In my view, he is the best bowler in the world in all formats—brilliant with the new ball, lethal at the death, and a consistent wicket-taker. Any team that has Bumrah is a different team without him,” Clarke said.
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Even without Bumrah, Clarke still believes India is the favorite to win the Champions Trophy. “That team is extremely powerful. Even without Bumrah, I still have India as my favourites to win the Champions Trophy. They are in my top four without any doubt,” he said.
Clarke, a member of the Australian squad that won the Champions Trophy in 2006, also identified Hardik Pandya as the game-changer for India. He feels that Pandya’s return will give the team the X-factor that was missing during the summer in Australia.
“The one player they lacked in Australia, who is so important in the shorter games, is Hardik Pandya. He’s a superstar. He has an X-factor that can win games. I believe he will have a massive tournament,” Michael Clarke stated.
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Hardik, who missed the latter half of the 2023 ODI World Cup due to a injury, played an important part in India’s successful T20 World Cup tourney last season. The management will be hoping for his all-round skills to come to the fore as India begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
