Wasim Akram can't keep calm, screams to salute Jasprit Bumrah as ‘world’s best bowler' after he runs through Australia
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Captain Jasprit Bumrah brought out the best in fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as India staged a fiery comeback in the first Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. After being criticised for his decision to bat first on a pitch that had plenty for the fast bowlers, Bumrah sent back Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in his first spell in an excellent display of fast bowling that was hostile, accurate, skilful and full of aggression. Bumrah's exceptional display impressed Pakistan legend Wasim Akram so much that the former left-arm fast bowler nearly jumped from his seat and called him the “best fast bowler” of the world.
India's start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a rather poor one as Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh combined to bowl them out for 150. India's new-look batting line-up minutes captain Rohit Sharma (out on paternity leave) and No.3 Shubman Gill (injured) lasted only 49.4 overs. Hazlewood took 4-29 while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins all claimed two wickets each.
With their backs against the wall, India had no option but to go all with the new ball and hope for early breakthroughs to stay in the Test match. The captain put his hand up with a spell to remember.
Bumrah made light work of debutant McSweeney (10 off 13) by bringing the ball back a mile and hitting his front pad right front of the stumps. He was given not out on the field but thanks to Bumrah's assurance and Virat Kohli's insistence, India went for the DRS and it proved to be the right call. He should have gotten Marnus Labuschagne out for a two-ball duck in the same over had Virat Kohli not dropped a catch at the second slip despite holding on to it in thefirst attempt.
Bumrah continued to bowl thunderbolts from his end, threatening to pickup a wicket every ball. He should have got Things exploded in the 7th over of Australia's innings when Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith off successive balls.
Bumrah went around the wicket to Khawaja and got one to move away despite the ball angling in. Khawaja could do nothing about it but get an outside edge to Kohli in the slip cordon, who made no mistakes this time around.
Steve Smith walked in and was greeted with, "The legend is pressured," a sledge from Rishabh Pant. The pressure, if there ever was some, was released immediately but not in the way Smith would have liked. Bumrah bowled a vicious inswinger that came back in a mile. Smith's idea of walking across the stumps made it impossible for him to bring the bat down in time before it crashed on his pads. There were no doubts in the umpire's mind. Smith was given the marching orders for a golden duck as Australia were reduced to 19/3.
Wasim Akram hails Bumrah as ‘world’s best bowler'
"He is the best bowler in the world," screamed the legendary Wasim Akram in commentary seeing Bumrah inflict carnage on Australia. The former Pakistan captain's comments were echoed by his fellow commentators as former Australia cricketer Kerry O'Keefe called it "the most inspired spell of fast bowling by a captain."
Bumrah bowled six overs with the new ball and picked up three wickets for just 9 runs.
Things became worse for Australia as Travis Head was clean-bowled by debutant Harshit Rana. The right-arm pacer got one to nip away from around the wicket to clip the top of Head's off stump. Australia were 31/4 as India came roaring back into the Test match.
