Jasprit Bumrah-The Unplayable Force Who Could Have Challenged Don Bradman's Legacy
Jasprit Bumrah, a boy with skillful and unplayable deliveries, is now one of the greatest forces modern cricket has witnessed to date; the boy, perhaps, might have rivaled Don Bradman in his cricketing legacy. Here, let us discuss this phenomenal bowling strength that Bumrah possesses, if he had rivaled Don Bradman.
India's sensation fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah remains one of the most potent and consistent performers on the cricket pitch. In this regard, he has emerged to be an essential component of Indian cricket, capable of playing and succeeding in every format and position. His most recent performances against Australia in their own den are now at cricketing legend standards, which were showered by words of appreciation by some of the greatest names.
Bumrah was simply unplayable in the much-anticipated five-match Test series in Australia. He took 32 wickets with an average of 13.06, displaying his extraordinary skill and ability to dominate top batting line-ups. His strike rate of 28.3 underlines his effectiveness and consistency in testing conditions. This series not only marked a personal achievement for Bumrah but also placed him alongside India's greatest fast bowlers, as his wicket tally became the joint highest for any Indian pacer in a series. It was also the highest for an Indian bowler in an away series, underlining his impact on the global stage.
Though he has been showcasing brilliance all through his career, Bumrah's performances in Australia have started the debate about whether he belongs to a different league among the all-time greats in the game. Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and former England captain Michael Vaughan shared their views on the boy's outstanding form during a podcast. Both the cricketers heaped praise on Bumrah. Gilchrist, in fact went to the extent of saying that Bumrah would have "ripped on Bradman's pegs" in a matter of balls. According to Gilchrist, if Bumrah had bowled against the great Australian batsman Don Bradman, Bradman's average of 99 would have dropped much lower. Gilchrist didn’t shy away from calling Bumrah’s skill beyond measure, suggesting that no number or accolade could truly encapsulate the bowler’s greatness.
The same was echoed by Vaughan, who rated Bumrah's performance as "10/10". He described Bumrah as "the greatest sportsman of all time", and this message did deep in the cricketing world. The level of respect and admiration for Bumrah from such great cricketers further adds to his name as one of the best fast bowlers of the modern world.
But such outstanding performances, especially in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, appear to have extracted a price on his physical body. Bumrah's back injury, sustained in the quest for wickets, which contributed to India's victory, will make him doubtful for future tournaments. He had to leave the field during the final Test at Sydney against Australia when he complained of back spasms. The pull proved to be a precautionary measure that unfortunately indicated something worse. The swelling on his back due to this injury will raise him for concerns over how fit he would be by the time the Champions Trophy next month arrives.
Reports say he has been shipped off to NCA in Bengaluru for healing and further review of his present condition. Even the Board of Control for Cricket in India or BCCI requested for more time before the announcement of the probable squad for further extension by International Cricket Council because of uncertainty for Bumrah's fitness in the tournament. The BCCI selection committee has to make the tough decision of whether to send Bumrah to the 15-man squad or retain him in the reserve list, expecting that he will once again be match-fit for the knockout stages of the Champions Trophy.
Bumrah's contribution to Indian cricket is immense, but the injury reminds of the physicality asked from the cricketer of today. His efforts in the Test series against Australia are examples of exceptional skills and determination; however, this also reflects how fine the line is between a peak performance and the risk of injury. Coming into the Champions Trophy, there will be eager eyes and expectant hopes on Bumrah's swift recovery, as the Indian team's success largely remains dependent on him.
As Bumrah continues to be on the road to recovery, one thing is for certain: he has already etched his name into the cricketing history books as one of the greatest fast bowlers to ever play the game. His Australian performances only strengthen that legacy and whether he ends up playing or not in the Champions Trophy, Bumrah's impact will be felt years from now.
