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“Thank goodness I did not face him with a new ball” – Michael Atherton on Jasprit Bumrah
By SMCS - Nov 27, 2024 9:00 am
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Former England opener Michael Atherton has said that he is relieved not to face Jasprit Bumrah’s new-ball bowling. The former England captain believes the right-arm pacer looks unplayable, labeling him as a nightmare for batters around the globe. Bumrah also showed his class as one of the best new-ball bowlers with a deadly spell of bowling against Australia in the opening Test in Perth as well.

Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah takes his 2nd 5-fer in Australia

Speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast (via Indian Express), Atherton said: “I thought Jasprit Bumrah was absolutely fantastic. Those two new ball spells. I mean, there’s a few bowlers when you retire, you don’t really think about, you know, your time as a player, but there’s the odd bowler that I just think, thank goodness I did not face him with a new ball. I mean, how would you play him?

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“He’s like a nightmare, isn’t he? He stutters away from off about 10 yards and then unleashes these thunderbolts, usually bang on a sixpence,” he added.

Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah bowled a brilliant opening spell

Atherton also added that he was surprised to see Australia losing so meekly at home and observed how the change in conditions altered the
complexion of the game as well.

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“Australia can’t have been beaten like that, that heavily and that badly at home for a long time. That was a real shellacking. But what struck me, a brilliant Test cricket to watch.”And I love the fact that you had that contrast from day one where 17 wickets fell and it looked a real struggle and you can see two quality attacks there. And then, of course, it changed in nature and became much tougher for the bowlers,” he concluded.