Mark Wood, the England pacer, has praised Jasprit Bumrah as the best bowler in the world right now, recognizing the Indian fast bowler’s ability to change the game in any format of the game. Addressing the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley, Wood cautioned that England’s batsmen will encounter a tough task confronting Bumrah’s unwavering accuracy and misleading speed.
What Makes Bumrah So Special?
There are so many unique things about Jasprit Bumrah which has made him the standout fast bowler across all formats. He has a distinctive action that resembles a roundarm style, making it more challenging for batters when he bowls Yorkers. Batsmen anticipate him to naturally bring the ball back into right-handed batsmen, but he possesses a strong outswinger. Overall, he is a strategic bowler who can handle pressure well.
Secondly, Bumrah produces significant speed with a brief run-up. This occurs because of a physical anomaly known as hyperextension. Bumrah’s speed mainly originates from his wrists. Bumrah deceives batsmen with his brief run-up as well. When paired with unwavering precision and a keen understanding of the game, it sets Bumrah distinctly apart from his fellow bowlers.
He is known for his remarkable precision, consistently maintaining a good length and line, making it difficult for batsmen to score easily. Bumrah is capable of swinging the ball in both directions and possesses the skill to achieve reverse swing, which enhances his bowling. He excels at bowling yorkers, frequently throwing them fast and with remarkable precision, and can also deliver misleading bouncers, occasionally with a downward path.
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Stood up to the Challenge at Headingley again
In non-supporting conditions at Headingley, Bumrah once again spearheaded India’s bowling attack with his signature intensity. On the second day at Headingley, he ended with figures of 3 for 48 in 13 overs—India’s sole wicket-taker of the day—while the rest of the bowling unit, including Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur, failed to take any wickets in 36 overs.
What was so good to watch was how he made life difficult for a team playing Bazzball style of cricket. The extremely aggressive Jack Crawley stepped up like an eager young subaltern obeying the major’s command to guide the men from the trench. He survived for a total of six balls. A completely unplayable delivery from Bumrah sent his way, which straightened after landing and deflected off the edge of his bat.
Bumrah got Ollie Pope bamboozled with a similar delivery, but this time the edge found the gap between the slips and ran to the boundary. He got him dismissed two times, first at slip, then at gully, and then outsmarted him completely with a fierce yorker that struck him just beyond the line of leg stump.
Then, all seemed to become easy for Bumrah when he was not bowling. However, he came back into the attack and remove England’s best Joe Root.
Despite restricted availability, Bumrah remains India’s most formidable asset with the ball. His combination of speed, precision, and unconventional style continually presents a challenge to the top batsmen globally.
