Michael Atherton hails ‘nightmare’ Jasprit Bumrah, Nasser Hussain rates pacer as world’s best all-format bowler

Former England skipper Michael Atherton showered praise on Jasprit Bumrah and said he is a nightmare to face with the new red ball. Bumrah returned with impressive figures of 5-30 in the first innings of the opening Test match against Australia at Perth.

The gun fast bowler was right on the money from the get-go and delivered for his team. Bumrah bagged 3-42 in the second essay and played a key role in India’s comprehensive win of 295 runs at the Optus Stadium.

Atherton said he wouldn’t have liked to face Bumrah with the new ball as he is a nightmare to play against.

Speaking on Sky Sports Cricket, Atherton said, “I thought Jasprit Bumrah was absolutely fantastic. Those two newborn spells. There are a few bowlers when you retire, you don’t really think about. You know your time as a player. But there’s the odd bowler that you just think ‘thank goodness I did not face him with the new ball.’ I mean, how would you play him?”

“He’s like a nightmare, isn’t he? He stutters away off about 10 yards and then unleashes these thunderbolts, usually bang on a sixpence, and he steals a yard because he releases it in front of himself more so than anybody else. What a nightmare to face,” said Atherton.

On the other hand, former England captain Nasser Hussain said Bumrah has all the arrows in his quiver and feels not enough limelight was given to the ace pacer before the opening Test.

“I mean, my triggers would have been, as he’s stuttering away, I’m thinking, ‘shall I move? Shall I not move.’ And then he has that slow ball. He has the yorker and the bouncer.”

“I was thinking before the game, actually, he was doing the press conference. I was watching all the sort of focus had been on Kohli and Rohit Sharma not being there and balance of the Indian side and Steve Smith.”

“Would they get runs? These great players, I thought they don’t talk about Bumrah, and maybe it’s just being a bowler. Batters get highlighted so much more. Bumrah’s stats is up there with me. He’s popped under 20 over quite a long period of time. He’s incredible and in all formats. He’s the best all-format bowler in the world bar none,” said Hussain.

The second Test match between Australia and India, which will be a pink-ball game, will be played at Adelaide Oval from December 6 onwards.