Jasprit Bumrah currently has a stature of someone who can single-handedly change the game in India’s favour. Despite the inexperience in the current Indian pace attack for the Australia tour, the presence of the “great Bumrah” is massive for Team India, former Australia pace spearhead Brett Lee emphasised.
However, Mohammed Shami’s absence in the initial phase of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy does come as a bit of a setback for India, Lee feels. “Well, I think India have got a great attack but they’re lacking in the form of the injury to Mohamed Shami. He’s a world-class bowler.
“So, the quicker he can get back in action and the quicker he can get back on the park to perform would be great for India,” Lee, with 310 Test scalps from 76 games, told The Telegraph from Melbourne.
It was learnt that Shami, for more game time, will be playing a couple of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy matches for Bengal on Saturday and November 25 in Rajkot. Thereafter, he will be leaving for Australia to try for his India comeback in the third Test in Brisbane beginning on December 14.
Shami took a match-haul of seven wickets in his comeback game last week in Indore in the Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh.
Summing up both the Indian and Australian fast-bowling groups, Lee stated: “India will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, who’s a great bowler and also has the opportunity to lead the side in this opening Test.
“And then you throw in the Australian quicks like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, which calls for an outstanding contest.”
Bumrah’s ability to slip in the yorker, one of his most potent weapons, could also play a big role in this five-Test series. Lee, too, acknowledged that Bumrah is the best at present in terms of execution of the yorker.
“Well, he’s arguably the best in the world in terms of yorkers. It’s because of the angle he can create... Can just shoot the ball in and rip the stumps out, knocking the toes off the batsman...
“He’s consistently bowling at 140kmph or more, which is very, very exciting.”
