In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, Australian batsman Steve Smith revealed the one player he would love to have in his team. While many fans might have expected him to name Virat Kohli, Smith chose Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, a choice that didn’t come as a huge surprise given Bumrah’s dominance across all formats.
Smith praised Bumrah for his “unique skills” and mentioned that his different bowling action and ability to adapt to all three formats make him one of the most valuable bowlers in the world. “He’s a complete bowler,” Smith said, acknowledging the threat Bumrah poses with the new ball, in the middle overs and during crucial moments at the death.
Steve Smith praises Jasprit Bumrah
“I think he has a unique skill set, the way he does it, it’s very different in his action, which takes a lot of getting used to, he swings it both ways, cuts it off the seam, great ball plus slow, big bouncer, so I think he’s a complete bowler in a way, and he does it in all forms of the game, so I would say he would be one that I would definitely like on my team.”
Despite Bumrah’s reputation, Smith has performed well in his matches so far. In Test cricket, Bumrah only managed to dismiss the Australian run machine once. This makes their rivalry more interesting as both players prepare to face off again in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, which begins in November.
The series will see India travel to Australia for five Test matches, with both teams looking to strengthen their positions in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Given the format of the WTC, each event has immense value and the outcome of this series could have a major impact on the qualifying race for the final.
Smith and Bumrah’s head-to-head battle will be one of the most anticipated duels of the entire series. Smith is known for his ability to neutralize world-class bowlers, but Bumrah’s ability to find breakthroughs at critical moments will make this matchup a delight for cricket lovers.
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy providing some of the most exciting competitions in recent times, the upcoming series promises to be no different. All eyes will be on the action from November 22, as Australia and India battle not only for the iconic BGT trophy but also to improve their position in the WTC table to qualify for the final.
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