"He is one of the finest bowlers": Kapil Dev lauds Bumrah

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): Former India skipper Kapil Dev has shared his views on fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, saying that he never thought that the spearhead would survive so much time in Test cricket with such a difficult bowling action.
During the announcement of India's squad for the Test tour of England, chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Bumrah was advised not to contest consecutive Tests as part of his workload management. The precaution around Bumrah's usage stems from a stress reaction in his back during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January.
Bumrah featured in the first and the third Tests, enchanted the spectators with his threatening spells, but India lost both fixtures. With two Tests left, India is trailing in the five-match series by 1-2, and Bumrah is currently playing in the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. He is likely to miss the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, which will be played at London's Kennington Oval from July 31 to August 4.
Speaking on Bumrah workload management, Kapil Dev told the media, "...The times have changed; their bodies are different, and they work differently, so it's hard to judge one person. Yes, he is one of the finest bowlers. We never thought he would play for such a long time because he put so much stress on his body. Still, he is contributing to the team. Hats off to him. As a spectator and a lover of the game, I would say that he shouldn't retire at all, but everyone has to go one day."
On Saturday, Bumrah finished with figures of 2/112 in his 33 overs bowled in the first session of the fourth day of the fourth Test match between England and India. He took the wickets of Jamie Smith and Liam Dawson in his spell.
With these two wickets, the fast bowler levelled the record, equalling legendary cricketer Ishant Sharma's record of most wickets for India in Tests in England, which is 51. The 31-year-old player has 51 wickets as of now in the 12 matches he has played in England so far, which have come at an average of 26.19 with the help of four five-wicket hauls.
The 31-year-old player has 51 wickets as of now in the 12 matches he has played in England so far, which have come at an average of 26.19 with the help of four five-wicket hauls.
On the other hand, Ishant has played 15 Test matches in England during his career, where he has managed to take 51 wickets at an average of 33.35, with the help of two five-wicket hauls.
Earlier on Friday, Bumrah completed 50 wickets in England. He became only the third Asian bowler with 50 Test wickets in England after Wasim Akram (53) and Ishant Sharma (51).
He achieved this feat against England in the fourth test match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar trophy at Old Trafford cricket ground on Friday. He now has 50 wickets in 12 matches, averaging 26.38 and an economy rate of just 2.79.
He also has 4 wicket hauls to his name. Bumrah finished the third day of the fourth Test with 15 overs bowled, 48 runs conceded, and just one wicket of wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to show for. His overall spell reads 1/95 in 28 overs, taking into account his bowling on day two.
Despite being the third-highest wicket-taker in the series with 13 scalps in five innings at an average of 26.69, with two five-wicket hauls, the numbers still look underwhelming as he was coming back to Tests after a long injury lay-off, which happened during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 against Australia away from home, during which he took a record-shattering 32 wickets at an average of 13.06, with two four-fers and three five-wicket hauls to his name. (ANI)