Sydney, Dec 13 (PTI) Jasprit Bumrah embodies the qualities of pace legends such as Dennis Lillee, Andy Roberts and Richard Hadlee but at the same time is forging his own legacy, one that is set to inspire future generations of pacemen, feels former India coach Greg Chappell.
He also said that Bumrah is the only player standing between Australia and the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
"What sets Bumrah apart is his combination of skills: (Malcolm) Marshall’s adaptability, Lillee’s aggression, Richard Hadlee’s control, Roberts’ strategy, Wasim (Akram) and Waqar’s (Younis) reverse swing, (Glenn) McGrath’s precision, (Dale) Steyn’s explosiveness, and (Kagiso) Rabada’s modern versatility."
"As Nasser Hussain aptly observed, “He’s the complete bowler. As he has had back surgery already, it is not certain he will have a long career, but if he does, his name will be mentioned in the same breath as the champions above," Chappell wrote in the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
An all-format bowler, Bumrah has reinforced his status as the best bowler in the world several times including when he led India to a 295-run win in the Perth Test recently.
"While the legends of yesteryear established the foundations, Bumrah is carving his own legacy – one that promises to inspire future generations of pacemen."
The former Australia captain said Bumrah's lethal yorkers and unsettling bounce evoked memories of Lillee's raw aggression on the field.
"Lillee was a warrior, combining raw aggression with psychological prowess. I opposed him many times in domestic cricket and watched him from close quarters against the best batsmen of his era.
"His ability to make it hard for batsmen to score runs with his probing line and length, allied to his guile and determination, made him the champion that he was. Bumrah, though less overtly combative, channels Lillee’s ability to unsettle batsmen. His deadly yorkers and disconcerting bounce – especially with his unorthodox release point and trajectory – echo Lillee’s capacity to dictate terms.
"Bumrah’s quiet intensity and precision make him a nightmare, much like Lillee’s unrelenting aggression."
Another great of the game was Roberts, who combined pace with strategic brilliance. Chappell felt Bumrah's 2018 performance at the MCG where he used variations to get the better of the batters was reminiscent of the way Roberts operated.
"Bumrah shares Roberts’ cerebral approach. Both bowlers use subtle variations to outfox batsmen, relying on strategy rather than brute force. Bumrah’s spell in the 2018 Boxing Day Test against Australia – culminating in 6-33 – was a modern echo of Roberts’ game-changing bursts."
"Roberts had a loping and relaxed run-up and a very strong shoulder action like Bumrah, and skidded onto you quite quickly, so it was important to be focused on the ball leaving the hand.
"The danger of a bowler who zeroes in on the stumps, as Roberts did and Bumrah does, is that if you relax for a moment and try to hit across their deliveries, you become even more vulnerable to LBWs and bowled. I would use the same approach against Bumrah," Chappell added.
The 31-year-old has consistently churned out stellar performances and is the go to bowler when the Indian team is need of wickets.
"With 151 wickets at an average of 21.03 in just 30 Tests, his ability to excel in diverse conditions recalls Marshall’s dominance. Bumrah’s reverse swing on abrasive surfaces and his ability to seam and swing the ball under cloudy skies have been pivotal, evoking the same uncertainty that batsmen faced against Marshall.
"As Ian Botham famously remarked of Marshall, “He gave you no respite.” Today, batsmen echo similar sentiments about Bumrah," Chappell wrote.
Drawing comparison to Hadlee, Chappell said "Bumrah’s meticulousness draws comparisons to Hadlee. His mastery of English conditions, where he averages 22.02, and his ability to exploit even the slightest movement resemble Hadlee’s clinical dismantling of batting orders.
"Like Hadlee, Bumrah’s focus on perfecting every delivery has made him indispensable in critical moments. He is also carrying the Indian pace attack at present as Hadlee did for New Zealand in his era," he added.