New Delhi: Australia legend Ricky Ponting heaped massive praise on India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah saying that he has been the best multi-format bowler “for the last five or six years.” He although admitted that there might have been a few concerns over his longevity but the breaks have always made him return even stronger from the injuries.
“I’ve said it for a long time, he’s probably been the best multi-format bowler there’s been in world cricket for the last five or six years. There might have been some fears a couple of years ago when the injuries come in and ‘would he come back the same?’, but I think he’s actually come back better,” Ponting spoke on the ICC review.
While Bumrah’s excellence has been revered worldwide, very few cricket pundits or even fans have been able to guess what sets him apart from the rest correctly. Ponting too gave his take on why Bumrah is lethal for the opposition batters and what makes him a part of the elite list of the all-time great bowlers. It is well known that Bumrah has a barrage of skill-set through which plays with the batter’s mind.
“The greatest way to always get a real gauge on these players is by asking (other) players. And when you talk to opposition batsmen about him (Bumrah) in particular, it’s always, ‘No, he’s a nightmare! You never know what’s going to happen. One’s going to swing, one’s going to seam, he’s going to bowl an in-swinger, he’s going to bowl an out-swinger,” Ponting reckoned.
Skillset and consistency
The 30-year-old was a key player in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph as he scalped 15 wickets which made Ponting praise him even more. He pointed out that in his T20 World Cup stint earlier this year, the pace was there and that there was nothing that changed with the accuracy or what he can deliver. He further added that the skillset is still the same and that he is getting better year after year.
“When you’ve got that skillset and the consistency that he has, then you’re going to be a great player. Look at (Glenn) McGrath, look at (James) Anderson, these guys, their longevity and their skills being able to hold up for such a long period of time is what separates them from the rest,” the ex-Australia skipper added.
(With PTI inputs)
Ricky Ponting hailed Jasprit Bumrah as the best multi-format bowler and also revealed what separates him from the rest. Bumrah is currently a great asset to the Indian cricket team. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
