Former cricketers Irfan Pathan and Morne Morkel heaped praise on Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, terming the bowler as a "vital cog" in India’s fast bowling attack.
Morne Morkel, former South African pacer, said that Bumrah is someone who knows how to put pressure on the batters with his natural pace.
Morkel, who was part of the South Africa team when Bumrah made his Test debut in South Africa in 2018, also claimed that the Indian bowler’s ability to bowl in different conditions would make him a great bowler in the future.
On the other hand, Pathan, a former Indian all-rounder, was also very impressed with the way Bumrah is using the angle to create problems for the batters. However, the former pacer suggested the yorker specialist make the ball a little fuller in South African conditions in order to take more wickets.
Notably, Bumrah became the fastest Indian bowler to take 100 overseas Test wickets after returning with 5 wickets in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion last week. Team India won the first Test by 113 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match Test series in South Africa.
Speaking to Star Sports, Morkel said on Tuesday (January 4): “I remember the first time we saw him here… He obviously made his debut in South Africa. Just to see him grow in these years and become the leader of the Indian attack is just fantastic.”
Morkel added, “He’s got natural raw pace. A batter needs a couple of balls to get used to his action. It’s more about the partnerships he forms with other bowlers, he really creates a lot of pressure. Whether Bumrah bowls at a slow pitch or a fast pitch, his pace is always consistent. He angles the ball into the body, making it a batter’s nightmare. No batter wants to face that sort of bowling. He can also straighten it from the off-stump… He’s just a top-quality bowler.”
Meanwhile, Pathan said of Bumrah: “He’s the leader of the attack and a very aggressive bowler. Now that he has started to use the angles, the batters are finding it more difficult.”
Pathan signed off by saying, “He bowls the inswing, bowls the outswing, bowls yorker in Test cricket regularly. I would like him to bowl slightly fuller on South African conditions.”
(With IANS Inputs)
