NEW DELHI: With a whopping 21 wickets in three Tests, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been the centre of attention in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.
Bumrah, the leading wicket-taker in the series, is way ahead of other bowlers has been a serious headache for the hosts.
The 31-year-old so far has two five-wicket hauls — in Perth and Brisbane — and has been a thorn in the flesh especially of Australia openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney — dismissing them four times each.
Former Australia head coach Justin Langer on Thursday heaped rich praise on Bumrah, calling him a right-handed version of legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram.
“I would hate to face him. He is like Wasim Akram. For me, he is a right-hand version of Wasim Akram, and every time I am asked the question ‘Who is the best bowler you have ever faced’, I say Wasim Akram.
“They have got good pace and the great bowlers just hit the same spot every time, and they have got a good bouncer, so it makes them a bloody nightmare. He has got the ability to swing the ball both ways, his seam is literally picture perfect.
“If you present a perfect seam and it comes perfectly out of the fingers as it does with him, you get the double whammy, swing in the right conditions and if it hits the rope it can go either way. That’s what Akram used to do and was a nightmare to face,” said Langer to The Nightly.
“I would hate to face Bumrah. He’s a great competitor, he bowls good pace and he’s just awesome. I said at the start of the series, if Bumrah stays fit, it is going to be a really tough summer for the Australian batters, if he doesn’t, then I think Australia will win the series easily, and I still maintain that,” he added.
Langer also expressed surprise on sudden retirement of veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after the third Test in Brisbane.
“I was surprised Ashwin retired because I thought they would use him and (Ravindra) Jadeja — go to their big guns for maybe Melbourne and definitely Sydney. I think Melbourne and Sydney are as likely to suit India as the other two venues,” he added.
After three matches, the series is currently tied at 1-1.
The fourth BGT Test begins from December 26 in Melbourne.