Michael Clarke believes that the highly talented Jasprit Bumrah will become the world's most exceptional fast bowler in time to come. The former Australian skipper rates India's young right-arm pacer very highly and backs him to reach the pinnacle of excellence at the highest level. 

Bumrah, who scalped 6/33 to help India bowl Australia all out for just 151 in the first innings and take a massive 292-run lead in the Boxing Day Test at the historic MCG, has now taken a five-fer each in South Africa, England and Australia - a sign of his all conditions prowess, in what quite astonishingly is the year he made his Test debut for the country. 

"He must be a great guy to play with and to captain. He doesn’t mind the pressure or the expectations. He wants to learn and is a workhorse - not too long before he will become the best bowler in the world," said Clarke, as Bumrah returned to perfectly reverse the old Kookaburra ball and inflicted an alarming collapse of 5/5 from his end. 

The MCG has produced an interesting surface where the batsmen have found it difficult to hit through the line because of the lack of pace as well as the uneven bounce from the good length area. 

But ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin reaffirmed that the pitch had little to do with a really disappointing batting performance from the hosts. 

"I don't think the wicket has played a part in any of our dismissals, to be honest," Haddin said, "There is a little bit of rough there for (Ravindra) Jadeja to be honest but nothing out of the ordinary. There have been a few concentration lapses that have cost us."

While Pat Cummins' magnificent spell of 4/10 from his 6 overs saw India collapse a touch to 54/5, the visitors still had their noses right in front at the end of Day 3 with a huge lead of 346 runs and five wickets left in the innings. 

(Inputs from THE AGE)