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SPORTS FEBRUARY 16, 2024 | The Indian Eye 45

The importance of being Jasprit Bumrah: How

the pacer making people love Test matches again

Bumrah becomes the fourth bowler from India to top the ICC Test rankings after

Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bishan Singh Bedi

OUR BUREAU When a batter scores a hundred or a
double hundred, he stays at the crease
Mumbai
for a long time, so it just captures your
ndia pacer Jasprit Bumrah de- imagination a little more because you
throned his compatriot Ravichan- have seen him bat for seven hours.”
Idran Ashwin to take the No.1 spot Chopra went on to point out that
on the latest ICC Men’s Test Bowler in Indian conditions, pacers do not
rankings and became the first Indian capture the imagination of fans as
pacer to do so. ICC issued the latest much as spinners as they bowl short-
Test rankings on Wednesday which er spells and take lesser wickets than
saw Bumrah rise to the summit of the spinners.,
ranking after he registered figures of “In Tests in India, we look at
9/91 during India’s series levelling vic- spinners, because they pick up six or
tory in the second Test at Vizag. seven wickets, and 10 or 12 wickets
Bumrah leapfrogged from no. in a Test match and you say - ‘Wow’.
3 spot and moved to the top of the Fast bowlers, because they bowl short
rankings ahead of the experienced spells, do not capture your imagina-
spinner. Ashwin who has been at tion as much, especially in Indian con-
the top since March last year bagged ditions,” Chopra said.
three wickets in the same match and Chopra went on to point out
dropped to third spot. Bumrah’s all-format dominance, re-
South Africa pacer Kagiso Raba- flected by 378 international wickets
da maintained his second spot despite in 185 appearances in an age where
missing out on the ongoing two-match players are not always all-format ones
Test series against New Zealand. and even selectors do not make all the
Before reaching the summit, the players play all the formats and look
30-year-old never managed to make for specialists.
it past the third spot despite claiming “He is an amazing player. You
five 10-wicket hauls in his career. Two generally do not look for all-format
of those five-wicket hauls have come players in modern-day cricket. The
in 2024, the first one came against players are coming with that perspec-
South Africa in Cape Town in Janu- tive and the selectors also are looking
ary, where he claimed 6/61 and then with that perspective.”
went on to take 6/45 in his recent ap- “However, a player who could
pearance against England. not continuously play all cricket, went
Bumrah is the fourth bowler through an extremely serious injury
from India to top the rankings after and was out for a very long time, the
Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bishan way he is bowling since returning from
Bedi. that - a lot of bowlers come but some
Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jaya- bowlers remain in your memory and
suriya moved to sixth following his are exceptional till the time they play,”
eight-wicket match haul in the one-off Jasprit Bumrah bowls during Day 4 of the 2nd Test match against England, at the Dr. Y.S. Chopra concluded. ‘
Test against Afghanistan. His com- The 30-year-old pacer became
patriot Asitha Fernando improved Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam (ANI) the fastest Indian pacer to pick 150+
seven spots to 34th after claiming six wickets in long-format cricket during
wickets in the same match. Williamson retained his spot at the on Wednesday which saw Bumrah rise the second day of the India-England
Coming to the men’s Test batting top. to the summit of the ranking after he Test match in Visakhapatnam.
rankings, Yashasvi Jaiswal reaped Former Indian opener Aakash registered figures of 9/91 across both Bumrah achieved the remarkable
rewards after scoring a magnificent Chopra lauded compatriot and pace innings during India’s series-levelling feat after delivering 6781 balls in Test
double ton (209) in the second Test spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for his re- victory in the second Test at Vizag. cricket. Meanwhile, Umesh Yadav
against England. cent performances in Test cricket, say- Speaking on his Youtube Chan- stands in the second spot with 7661
The young opener climbed 37 ing that the pacer is making fans fall in nel, Chopra said, “With what he balls. Mohammed Shami and Kapil
places and moved to 29th spot. New love with Test cricket. (Bumrah) is doing currently, he is Dev hold third and fourth place with
Zealand’s experienced batter Kane ICC issued the latest Test rankings making us fall in love with Test cricket. 7755 and 8378 balls, respectively.

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