Jasprit Bumrah can produce match-winning spells even on flat decks, says Lakshmipathy Balaji

The Indian pace bowling fraternity – and frankly, many around the cricketing world – is going gaga over the success of Jasprit Bumrah. A former Indian fast bowler himself, Balaji is no exception to the trend. His team CSK struggled to deal with Bumrah all through the IPL earlier this year, when Mumbai Indian beat them four times, including the final itself. However, with the IPL settled, Balaji has put on the shoes of the Indian cricket fan and has joined in the praise for the 25-year-old who is wreaking havoc in the Caribbean.

"He can produce those match-winning spells even on flat decks and the best thing about him is that he is doing it in all formats. It's not just about the hat-trick, Bumrah is a bowler for impossible situations. I love his desperation to take wickets. The captain throws the ball to him when things seem to have gone out of hand and the guy invariably delivers," Balaji told TOI.

After a five-fer in the first Test at Antigua – which made him the first Asian bowler to pick up five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies – Bumrah bowled a lethal spell of six for 27 to give India a first-innings lead in excess of 280. Balaji reckons that Bumrah’s success has a lot to do with him staying injury-free and hopes that the star bowler can keep scaling heights over the years ahead. 

"We all knew how good a bowler Lasith Malinga was, but he used to get injured frequently and couldn't play too many Test matches. Bumrah has got a Test hat-trick so early in his career, I hope he keeps going for a long time."

"Right now, I can't tell you if he will be as good as Wasim Akram or Curtly Ambrose. For that, he has to continue doing great things for at least 10-15 years. But he has the ability and I am sure he will do his best to reach those heights," Balaji said.