Former South Africa pacer Allan Donald praised Jasprit Bumrah for his skill set and adaptability in all three formats of cricket. He rates him among the best fast bowlers in the world currently.
Speaking in a YouTube interview with Neel Khagram of Cricket Life Stories, Donald named Bumrah, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, and Anrich Nortje the pacers who have grabbed his attention.
“If I have to talk about the guys who surprise me… the New Zealand players. Since 2011, they have really shown the world their quality. [Neil] Wagner’s there, [Trent] Boult, and [Kyle] Jamieson came out of nowhere. As for South Africa, [Anrich] Nortje will go a long way. The Australians have a conveyer belt full of them,” he said.
“India, of course, is in the mix too. Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, young Bumrah has come a long way. He is just a sensation… in all the formats,” he added.
Bumrah has managed to adapt all three formats in a very less time at the international level. Some doubted he wouldn't make same impact in Test cricket but Bumrah proved everyone wrong with his outstanding performances in red-ball cricket.
“It’s fantastic to see how quickly and skillfully the current generation of fast bowlers have adapted to all the formats, from T20s to ODIs to Tests,” he said.
Donald opened up about his playing days and picked the toughest batters he ever bowled to. “It’s like a pub quiz! Undoubtedly, there are three players for me.”
“The guy who was technically the best was [Sachin] Tendulkar because I found out in South Africa that he could adapt his technique on surfaces better than anyone. He played the ball much later, he left the ball much better, and you knew that after an hour or so, if he is on 30/35 balls, it could be a long day for you.
“Brian Lara was the best stroke-maker on any surface. But the most resilient was [Michael] Atherton, and the guy who really made it hard was Steve Waugh.”
