Michael Clarke Hails Jasprit Bumrah as ‘Best Fast Bowler Ever’ Across All Formats

New Delhi: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has praised Jasprit Bumrah as the greatest fast bowler across all formats after the Indian pacer delivered an exceptional Player of the Series performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Bumrah was a standout performer in the series, claiming 32 wickets at an average of 13.06, and his devastating bowling left Australia in trouble on multiple occasions. His 32 wickets brought him tantalizingly close to breaking Sydney Barnes’ 1911-12 record of 34 wickets in a series by a touring pace bowler in Australia. However, an injury during the SCG Test prevented him from surpassing or equaling this historic feat.

Clarke shared his thoughts on Bumrah’s performances, saying, “The thing I’ve thought about Bumrah, after the series finished and I was sitting and thinking about his performances, I actually think he’s the best fast bowler ever across all three formats.” He continued, “I know a lot of great fast bowlers, like Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, didn’t get to play T20 cricket, so I’m not talking about those guys.

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But in terms of anyone who has played all three formats, I think he might be the best ever. He’s actually that good in any conditions—that’s what makes him great; any conditions, any format, this guy’s a freak.”

Bumrah dominated the series with standout performances, including eight wickets in Perth, a six-wicket haul at the Gabba, and a game-changing burst at the MCG. He also made early breakthroughs in the SCG Test but bowled only one over after lunch on Day 2 due to his injury, with the match delicately poised.

Clarke added, “I reckon India were probably 20 runs short in Sydney. With Bumrah in the team, I think India are home. I think Bumrah is that good… he’s so much better than the other bowlers they had in the team.”

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch credited Bumrah’s injury to the hosts’ deliberate strategy of wearing him down. “Australia were prepared to play the long game with Jasprit Bumrah. They wanted to make him bowl over and over and over, make him come back for one more spell, bowl another three, four, five (more) overs and in the end, it worked. They broke him in the end. They played that long game, they won,” he said.

Finch believes that Bumrah’s presence in the final innings of the SCG Test would have made Australia’s chase far more difficult. “Had he bowled in the last innings in Sydney, would Australia have got over the line? I think they still just get over the line, but it would have been a lot more difficult than it was,” he added.