After winning the Melbourne Test, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli praised the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant bowling performance. Kohli claimed that the Indian pacer is the best bowler in the world.
The 25-year-old right-arm pacer bagged a total of nine wickets in this Test match as he had the bowling figures of 15.5-4-33-6 and 19-3-53-3. He led the visiting side to dominate the game over the hosts.
Talking about Bumrah, Kohli said after the match, “Jasprit obviously is the best bowler in the world, as per me. He is a match winner, without doubt, even if he has only been playing (Test cricket) for 12 months. I mean if there was a pitch like Perth, I wouldn’t want to face Jasprit Bumrah to be honest because if he gets on a roll, he can really crank it up. The way he bowls is so much more different to anyone and I think he realizes that more than the batsmen. That’s why he is so confident about his skills.”
Also read: Michael Clarke: Jasprit Bumrah Will Become The Best Bowler In The World
Starting his international career as the white-ball bowler in January 2016, Bumrah has now evolved as the match winner in red ball cricket where he made his debut in January 2018.
Talking about this amazing growth, Kohli said, “I think the fact that he was showing amazing levels of energy and fitness in white-ball cricket and hence he was so good because he was not giving runs with the new ball. He was getting wickets; he would come back in the death overs and not bowl one loose delivery. He was training like he wanted to play Test cricket. He was that obsessed about his fitness levels and his work ethics. So we discussed before South Africa that if we put him as a surprise package he could be lethal if he gets his lines and lengths right.”
The Indian skipper feels that the special strong mindset has separated Bumrah from the other bowlers in the present world cricket.
Kohli added, “The mindset he (Bumrah) has is what separates him from anyone else in the world right now. He looks at the pitch and he doesn’t think it’s a hard toil on these wickets. He thinks how can I take make a breakthrough for the team and your mindset separates you from the rest.
“He is as strong headed as I have seen anyone in the past and that’s the key to his success, and that’s what I have seen in the past 12 months. The way he has matured and the areas he has bowled so quickly in his Test career I think it’s a scary sign for the batsmen around the world.”
Also read: Bharat Arun Feels The Unique Bowling Action Has Made Jasprit Bumrah So Special
Kohli also revealed that the bowlers set the primary plans while he has to set only the plan B as a captain.
The Indian skipper said, “To be honest, in bowlers’ meeting, I usually just sit and listen. It is very important to understand what the bowlers are thinking. And then in that process you think of plan B, and you communicate that to the bowlers. That’s how we operate.
“But the fact that the bowlers are all the time dictating those meetings is how you win Test matches away from home. At the end of the day, they are running in with the ball so they need to be confident with their fields, where they are pitching, the pace of the wicket, how they can bowl dot balls and how they can get wickets.”
Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami – the pace trio took 134 away Test wickets in this year.
Talking about the success of the pace bowling line-up in this year, Kohli said, “That fact that they have taken total ownership of their skill and taken responsibility for the team is what has set them apart this calendar year. Results are there for everyone to see. It is not just talk, you know, they have put the numbers on the board. It is a collective effort.”
Kohli claimed that the team always comes first and the achievements are coming due to the brilliant teamwork from every player.
Also read: Virat Kohli: We Are Not Going To Stop Here
The Indian skipper said, “Even Bumrah’s team interview post game was all about how could I contribute to the team. That fact that he didn’t get any wickets in Perth and the way he bowled there, he didn’t lose heart, and he knew wickets are going to come at some stage.
“And if you see the other bowlers, they are not trying to outdo someone else. If Bumrah is taking wickets, they are containing runs. If someone is picking wickets, Bumrah comes in and does his job. So does Jadeja. So does Ashwin. It is a team effort at the end of the day. When it comes together nicely, when it gets you results, it feels wonderful because you play cricket to win and get results.”
