Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir believes Jasprit Bumrah is the X-factor and a game-changer for the Indian team in all formats.
Gambhir’s comments came before Jasprit Bumrah had one of his best days in charge when he won the man of the match award against Pakistan. If not for the right-arm seamer, then the Pakistani team would have beaten the Indians in New York and the crowd’s reaction would have been different.
But Jasprit Bumrah was not going to break the hearts of a million Indian fans and hence when he came to bowl the last over of his spell, he delivered. The right-arm seamer, on the first ball, knocked down the stumps of batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who was on his way to helping Pakistan win the game.
What did Gautam Gambhir say about Jasprit Bumrah?
While speaking to Sportskeeda ahead of the T20 World Cup, Gautam Gambhir was full of praise for Jasprit Bumrah. Gambhir, considered India’s next head coach, admitted that for him Bumrah is the best bowler in the world.
The Kolkata Knight Riders mentor, who handed over the IPL 2024 trophy on his return to the franchise, had said it a long time ago. Gautam Gambhir always had the belief that Jasprit Bumrah was someone who could bowl at any time of the game and take wickets at regular intervals.
Gambhir also said that Jasprit Bumrah is the kind of bowler who can win a match in any condition and format. The 2011 Cricket World Cup winner stated that Bumrah should get more credit than him and should be mentioned in the same group as legendary batsmen like Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma among others.
Gambhir then said that whatever format Jasprit Bumrah plays in, he is the X factor and the game changer.
“I think he is the best all-format bowler in the world. And I have been saying that for a long time. I think we still talk about a lot of Indian batsmen, but I think he should get a lot of appreciation from the batsmen. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get it. “He is the X factor in all formats, in all conditions and in all tournaments. Whatever team Jasprit Bumrah plays for, he is the X factor and the game changer.” – Gambhir said via Sportskeeda.
Can Bumrah end up as the highest wicket-taker of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024?
Jasprit Bumrah has certainly proven that he is considered the best bowler in the world for a very good reason. He has all the ingredients to be the biggest wicket-taker of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and can come very close to getting there against Canada and the USA.
At the moment, Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan is the highest wicket-taker with 9 wickets to his name in 2 games. Anrich Nortje is in second place with 8 wickets, while Akeal Hosein, Rashid Khan and Mehran Khan are tied at 3rd place. Bumrah currently has 5 wickets in 2 games.