Australia batter Steve Smith who is under severe pressure to score big runs at No.4 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, lauded Jasprit Bumrah for his "unorthodox bowling action” and “exceptional skill-set.” Jasprit Bumrah was the main wreaker-in-chief in the Perth Test as he took a total of eight wickets to help India win the contest by 295 runs. India's stand-in captain was also adjudged as Player of the Match.

Smith explained how Bumrah's release point is a foot closer to the batters as compared to any other bowler in the world, hence, making it difficult to pick his length.

“From the start of his run-up, it’s just all awkward. The way he runs in is different to pretty much anyone else, then the last bit of his action is different. I’ve faced him a reasonable amount now, and each time you face him it takes a few balls just to get the rhythm of it in a way," Smith told Sydney Morning Herald.

“He releases the ball closer to you than any other bowler, just the way he does it. So maybe it rushes you a bit more than you think, and it’s just an awkward action," he added about the bowler who dismissed him for a golden duck in the first innings of the Perth Test.

'Bumrah swings it both ways'

Steve Smith also labelled Jasprit Bumrah as a "complete package" as he has every possible weapon in his bowling armoury, and hence the batters can never take it easy.

“Put that together with his skill set—he swings it both ways, he can nip it off the seam, he can reverse it, got a good slower ball, a good bouncer—he’s pretty much the complete package as a bowler," said Smith.

As a result of his performance in the first Test against Australia, Jasprit Bumrah regained the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings.

Bumrah’s hauls of 5/30 and 3/42 helped him overtake Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada and reach a career-best 883 rating points, the highest rating points tally ever by an India seam bowler.

Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (904) and Ravindra Jadeja (899) are the only bowlers from India to record higher points tallies.

This is the third time that Bumrah has been top of the rankings this year. He was top ranked for two one-month stretches each starting in February and October.

Speaking of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India and Australia will now square off in the second Test in Adelaide. The pink-ball contest will go ahead from December 6-10.

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