The Test series between Australia and India has begun, which is crucial for both teams. The outcome of this series will determine which team qualifies for the final match of the World Test Cricket Championship.
Australia faced a challenging start in the match, scoring only 104 runs in their first innings. This was in reply to India’s 150 runs in their first innings.
The Australians’ first innings collapsed dramatically. Indian team captain Jasprit Bumrah played a significant role in that collapse, as no Australian batter succeeded against his fast bowling.
Bumrah’s deliveries bounced well on the fast pitch at Perth Stadium. He also achieved good swing with the ball. As a result, Bumrah took 5 wickets for just 30 runs.
Bumrah’s brilliant bowling
Following Bumrah’s exceptional bowling, concerns were raised about his bowling posture, with accusations that he chucked the ball during this match.
There is little validity when you enquire about the truth of that allegation. However, his bowling stance does have an unnatural form. It is well-known in the cricket world that he bowls in an unconventional manner, but it is evident that he does not do so intentionally.
Upon reviewing the television replays, it is evident that this posture results from the unnatural position of his right hand. He is not throwing the ball in any way.
Murali vs Bumrah
In fact, Bumrah’s arm is in an unnatural position, similar to Muralitharan’s. The main difference is that Murali is a spin bowler while Bumrah is a fast bowler.
Murali’s bowling was easy to catch, especially in television replays. This is mainly because he is a spin bowler and bowls at a relatively slow speed when releasing the ball from his hand. This slower pace makes it easier to see how his hand moves during the delivery. In contrast, Bumrah bowls at a much faster speed. His quick release makes it difficult to catch the details of his bowling motion.
Due to the unnatural position of his hand, Murali faced numerous challenges and accusations on the cricket field. In the end, however, he retired with 800 Test wickets.
Currently, Bumrah has played only 40 Test matches, during which he has taken 173 wickets at an average of 30.7. If he continues taking wickets at this pace, he must play at least 180 matches to reach 800 wickets. In this context, he cannot be considered a bowler on the same level as Murali. However, if Bumrah maintains his rhythm, he has the potential to take many more wickets in the future.
We should also consider another important point: the doosra bowled by Murali was disallowed because it did not comply with the laws of the game. Therefore, if there are any illegal aspects to some of Bumrah’s bowling, they should be addressed. It is crucial to pay particular attention to Bumrah’s bowling posture when he bowls from around the wicket.
There is no point in criticising Bumrah’s bowling. What happened to Murali should not occur to him. He should undergo tests soon if there are concerns about Bumrah’s bowling technique. Otherwise, we should avoid harsh criticism that could harm his career, similar to what Murali experienced.
