New Delhi, Dec 19: Former Australia head coach Justin Langer heaped rich praise on Jasprit Bumrah, calling India’s fast-bowling spearhead a right-handed equivalent of legendary Pakistan left-arm pacer Wasim Akram.
Bumrah has taken 21 wickets at an average of 10.90 to be the leading wicket-taker of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, including a five-wicket haul in Perth and a six-fer in Brisbane.
He has also dismissed Australia openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney four times each in the series so far. “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,” he added.
“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,” said Langer to The Nightly on Thursday.
Langer also expressed surprise by the sudden retirement of veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after the third Test at Brisbane ended in a draw, citing that the visitors’ could turn to him for at least one of the two remaining Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
Ashwin’s last international game was the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide, where he took 1-53 in his 18 overs and made 29 runs with the bat, as India lost by ten wickets. “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. Langer signed off by believing Australia will not make any changes in terms of its batting make-up, despite its top-order misfiring, for the crunch Test in Melbourne, starting from next Thursday.
“I can’t see them making any changes now at 1-1 in the series. There will be some discussions about a few players, but my gut feeling is they will keep it the same,” said Langer.
IANS