Jasprit Bumrah is a name that strikes fear in the hearts of the Australians.
That is uncommon for those hardy cricketers from Down Under whose batsmen and bowlers have instead terrified and startled the opposition.
Over the years, the Aussies have mastered the art of intimidation — that is until now.
Bumrah has terrorized the Australians with his fast bowling the same way the four-pronged pace attack of the West Indies ruled the cricketing world in the 1980s. Bumrah may not be as fast as those great Caribbean bowlers, such as the legendary Joel Garner or Curtley Ambrose, Michael Holding or Courtney Walsh, but with his swing and consistent length Bumrah has brought the best batsmen to their knees.
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His performance in the first Test in Perth last week was one of the finest displays of fast bowling by a touring player in Australia in many years.
Bumrah took eight for 72 in the match and that included five for 30 in the first innings. The teams now head to Adelaide for the day-night pink ball battle that starts on Friday and Australia will be looking to even matters following that debacle in Perth, where the Aussies were crushed by 295 runs.
India will be at full strength with the return of skipper Rohit Sharma, who stayed back following the birth of his second child, and Shubman Gill, who has recovered from a broken thumb.
But star Aussie batsman Travis Head is more concerned about the 30-year-old Bumrah, who he reckons will be an even bigger danger as he won’t be burdened by leadership duties.
“Jasprit is probably going to go down as one of the greatest fast bowlers to play the game,” Head told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re finding that at the moment, how challenging he can be, and it’s nice to play against that.’’
He believes Bumrah could be deadlier in Adelaide as the pink ball will likely do more in the air and off the pitch once it leaves his hand.
With Sharma’s return India will have to rejig its batting lineup and it’s likely the skipper will bat down the order instead of his usual place at the top. This means KL Rahul and young superstar Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit 161 in Perth and shared in a 200-run partnership, will open again with Gill at one down followed by Perth centurion Virat Kohli at No. 4, followed by Sharma and wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.
On paper, that’s a solid and prolific upper-order lineup capable of keeping up that scoreboard ticking at a fast pace. That means India will drop Devdutt Padaikkal and most likely Nitish Reddy.
Australia, meanwhile, has been jolted by the withdrawal of Josh Hazelwood, one of the trio of all-time greats with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who starred in Perth. Hazelwood has been sidelined with a side strain and he will most likely be replaced by Scott Boland.
Cummins and Starc will open with the new ball and, on their day, they are capable of running through any team.
Australia also has called up uncapped pacers Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett while there is every chance that teenager Sam Konstanc may also find himself in the lineup after his dazzling 107 off 97 balls in an exhibition encounter versus India on the weekend.
In the first Test, Australia’s top order failed spectacularly and it will need runs from openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.
Head and Mitchell Marsh got the runs in Perth, but Marnus Labuschagne has failed and he could find himself on the bench. Australia will of course rely on Nathan Lyon to trouble the Indians with his spin.
Apart from the honour of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy the teams are also in a fight trying to qualify for the World Test Championship final next year. There are five teams still in contention for the two spots.
BRILLIANT MAQUEEM
New Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Maqeem had Zimbabwe tied in knots as he grabbed five wickets for three runs to send the home squad back to the pavilion for 57 in the second Twenty20 clash at Bulawayo. It was Zimbabwe’s lowest T20 score as Muqeem got his wickets in just 2.4 overs. Saim Ayub hammered 38 off 18 balls as Pakistan reached its target in just 5.3 overs.
JANSEN STARS
Sri Lanka found Marco Jansen practically unplayable as it crashed to a 233-run loss to South Africa in the first Test in Durban. The lanky fast bowler finished with 11 for 86 as the visitors were dismissed for 282 in the second innings after it was demolished for a meagre 42 in the first innings.
KIWIS GO DOWN
Fast-bowler Brydon Carse led England to an eight-wicket victory inside four days in the first Test versus New Zealand in Christchurch. Carse captured four wickets in the second innings to finish with six for 42 on the fourth day. New Zealand made 348 with 93 from Kane Williamson. In the second knock the Kiwis made 254. England scored 499 thanks to a brilliant innings by Harry Brook who plundered 171. That left England with the simple task of getting 104 in the second knock.
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