NEW DELHI: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has hailed Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah as one of the toughest bowlers he has ever faced. Describing the challenge as ‘incredibly difficult’, Maxwell praised Bumrah’s unique action, pace, and precision, which make him a nightmare for batters.
Maxwell considers Bumrah as a potential candidate for the greatest fast bowler in cricket history, citing his distinctive bowling technique and exceptional delivery skills.
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The Perth Test match against Australia showcased Bumrah’s exceptional leadership and bowling prowess. His outstanding performance, which included a five-wicket haul in the first innings and a total of eight wickets, was instrumental in India’s decisive 295-run triumph.
Maxwell said that Bumrah’s impact on cricket transcends mere statistics when evaluating his status amongst the sport’s legendary figures.
“Bumrah is going to go down as potentially the best fast bowler of all time. It might not be about the number of wickets he takes across formats, but for the players who have faced him, it’s incredibly difficult. He has such a unique action and an extraordinary ability with the ball. He’s the complete package,” said Maxwell on ‘The Grade Cricketer podcast’.
“He can move the ball both ways, rush you with pace, and beat you on the inside and outside edges. Plus, he has an effective slower ball,” he added.
Bumrah’s outstanding performance secured him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, whilst simultaneously propelling him past Kagiso Rabada of South Africa and Josh Hazlewood of Australia to regain his position as the premier bowler in Test cricket rankings.
Bumrah’s match-winning effort also earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, and he surpassed South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood to reclaim his place as the top-ranked bowler in Test cricket.
In his 41-Test career till date, Bumrah has demonstrated exceptional bowling prowess, claiming 181 wickets while maintaining an outstanding average of 20.06.
His finest bowling performance yielded figures of 6/27, and he has achieved five-wicket hauls on 11 occasions. His performances in Australian conditions have been particularly noteworthy, where he has secured 40 wickets at an excellent average of 18.80, including two five-wicket hauls with his best figures being 6/33.