New Delhi, Jan 8: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has hailed Jasprit Bumrah as the greatest fast bowler across all formats after the Indian spearhead delivered a sensational Player of the Series performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Bumrah was a standout performer in the series, claiming 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 and his devastating bolwing left Australia reeling in multiple occasions in the series. The India pacer's 32 wickets in the series brought him tantalisingly close to breaking Sydney Barnes' 1911-12 record of 34 wickets in a series by a touring pace bowler in Australia. However, his injury in the SCG Test prevented him from equalling or surpassing the historic feat.
"The thing I've thought about Bumrah, after the series finished and I was sitting and thinking about his performances, I actually think he's the best fast bowler ever across all three formats," Clarke said on ESPN's Around the Wicket.
"I know a lot of great fast bowlers, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, didn't get to play T20 cricket, so I'm not talking about those guys, but in regards to anyone who has played all three formats, I think he might be the best ever. He's actually that good in any conditions, that's what makes him great; any conditions, any format, this guy's a freak," he said.
Bumrah dominated Australia with remarkable performances, including eight wickets in Perth, a six-wicket haul at the Gabba, and a game-changing burst at the MCG. At the SCG, he dismissed Khawaja and Labuschagne early but bowled just one over after lunch on Day 2 with the match finely poised.
"I reckon India were probably 20 runs short (in Sydney). With Bumrah in the team, I think India are home. I think Bumrah is that good… he's so much better than the other bowlers they had in the team," Clarke added.
Australia’s former captain Aaron Finch credited Bumrah’s injury to hosts deliberate strategy of wearing him down. "Australia were prepared to play the long game with Jasprit Bumrah. They wanted to make him bowl over and over and over, make him come back for one more spell, bowl another three, four, five (more) overs and in the end, it worked, they broke him in the end. They played that long game, they won," he said.
Finch feels that Bumrah’s presence in the final innings of the SCG Test might have made Australia’s chase far more challenging.
"Had he bowled in the last innings in Sydney, would Australia have got over the line? Think they still just get over the line, but it would have been a lot more difficult than it was," said Finch.
