Sanjay Manjrekar Describes Bumrah as a Wish-Granting Genie
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New Delhi, Dec 29 (NationPress) Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional importance to the Indian cricket team, calling him a player without any weaknesses.
During the ongoing Boxing Day Test, Bumrah took four wickets on day 4, surpassing the 200 Test wicket milestone, and further solidifying his position as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 29 wickets.
"There’s absolutely no weakness in this man. It’s as if he’s a genie that Indian cricket has been gifted, allowing you to make a wish, and it’s always Bumrah who delivers, whether it’s the T20 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, or a critical match in which many bowlers struggle to find their rhythm.
"He was generating lateral movement. He dismissed Alex Carey as if he were a number 10 or 11 batsman. He had only two balls left in that spell, and you knew he wouldn’t bowl more than that, yet he managed to nail Alex Carey once again," Manjrekar stated on Star Sports.
The 31-year-old fast bowler holds a unique record of being the only bowler in Test history with at least 200 dismissals and an average below 20. Close competitors include legendary West Indies bowlers Malcolm Marshall (20.94), Joel Garner (20.97), and Curtly Ambrose (20.99).
"When you examine the average, it’s truly unbelievable. We often discuss Curtly Ambrose. I had the honor of playing against Malcolm Marshall. Those are remarkable names, and achieving an average under 20 after 200 wickets is nothing short of astonishing from Jasprit Bumrah," he added.
Former Australian cricketer and coach Justin Langer also shared his perspective on Bumrah's brilliance, likening him to a "right-handed version of Wasim Akram" and noted that Bumrah’s bowling keeps the Australian dressing room on high alert.
Bumrah has been in outstanding form in the longest format, securing 70 wickets from 13 Tests this year, marking his best annual performance.
"I’ve previously mentioned how Jasprit resembles a right-handed Wasim Akram, who I consider the greatest bowler I’ve been fortunate to face. When you analyze those statistics, Jasprit Bumrah boasts a better average than all the legends of the game. This has been evident throughout this series.
"Each time he arrives in Australia, he reaffirms his status as a superstar. Whenever he bowls, the Australian dressing room is on edge, hoping he finally has an off day!" Langer remarked.
