Skill wise, Bumrah is a freak: Paras Mhambrey

Former Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has showered praise on Jasprit Bumrah. Mhambrey, who observed Bumrah from close quarters as India’s bowling coach, said the gun fast bowler is a freak.

Bumrah has performed consistently in all three formats of the game and he has been India’s pack leader. The ace pacer bagged 15 wickets at an average of 8.26 and an economy rate of 4.17 in the eight matches of the T20I showpiece and thus played a key role in the team’s success.

Bumrah’s biggest strength is his adaptability to any pitch and he reads every track like an expert. The fast bowler is equally lethal at both end of the innings and he has consistently delivered for the team.

Talking to News18 CricketNext, Mhambrey said: “Skill wise, Bumrah is a freak. As a bowler, you know, just looking at it, it’s a little technical because he needs to run up, he needs to run up, you know, take that momentum through, you know, go through, but if you look at Bumrah right now, pretty much just walks in, doesn’t even run, you know, just the way he releases the ball just walks in four or five steps. Obviously, now his little length and the run up is, but it doesn’t make a difference. If you ask him to bowl for four steps, also he’ll be as quick as what he’s doing.

“Yeah, he is just born that way and I think It’s obviously a born with a skill, but damn he’s worked hard for it man. He’s gone through the Ranji Trophy by bowling so much, played a lot of first-class cricket. He’s created the base and gone through a tough phase. He’s tested his body again and again, and have gone through seasons without injuries. So obviously, he has mastered his skills there and over the period with the experience that he has is just the intelligence to look at the way he bowls.

“He bowls the right ball at the right time. So he thinks about the game, right? He’s not just a run-in bowler who just comes in and just bowls, he’s a thinking bowler. And I think that’s one thing I believe that a greatness of a cricketer is always in his head and that’s where his strength is. He thinks about his game, he analyses the batsman.”

After the T20 World Cup triumph, Bumrah was rested for the tour of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. He has also not been picked for the Duleep trophy.