ENG vs IND 2022: Sanjay Manjrekar thinks that Jasprit Bumrah still has a ways to go before he can be put in the same group as great fast bowlers like Wasim Akram and Malcolm Marshall.
In the first one-day international (ODI) of the three-match series against England, Bumrah had amazing numbers. He got 6/19 in 7.2 overs, which is a very good Stat. His spell helped the Men in Blue bowl out the home team for only 110 runs, and they went on to win by 10 wickets, which was a very convincing win.
During an interview on Sports 18, Manjrekar was asked if Jasprit Bumrah could be put in the same league as Akram and Marshall. He answered:
“Not yet. He has the potential, but it’s hard to compare him to Wasim Akram and Malcolm Marshall because they have done it for a long time and in all kinds of conditions. These are the best of all time, and experts are hard to please.”
The former Indian batsman said that Bumrah hasn’t shown how good he is with the ball on calm home pitches in Test cricket yet. Manjrekar observed:
“It’s interesting to look at Bumrah and see that he hasn’t played many Test matches in India. So, without taking anything away from him, because India tends to rest him in some games, Bumrah still has to pass that test.”
Bumrah has only played four Tests there so far. He has done well in these games, taking 14 wickets at a good average of 15.64. However, eight of those were in the pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.
ENG vs IND 2022: Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Jasprit Bumrah is the most feared bowler in the world right now
But when asked if Bumrah is the most feared fast bowler in the world right now, Manjrekar said that he was. He said more:
“Absolutely. I was just thinking about how Rishabh Pant, who is India’s best batsman in Test cricket, and Bumrah, who is India’s best bowler right now in maybe all formats, are both so unconventional in how they play.”
When asked if Bumrah made small changes to his line and length when he saw the ball swinging, the cricketer-turned-analyst said:
“Yes, he did. When he first started playing T20, which is how he became known, it was clear that he was smart. His background is also typical of guys who bowl in a street-smart way because they played softball cricket competitively. He knows how to put the ball in each batter’s sweet spot.”
Many cricket experts say that Jasprit Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world right now, especially after what he did at The Oval. At the T20 World Cup later this year, Team India will be hoping that the best seamer is at the top of his game.
