Legendary Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath recollected the first conversation he has had with a young Jasprit Bumrah and dissected Indian pacer’s bowling.
“He’s just so unique. Isn’t he in his action the way he runs up,” McGrath said while doing commentary for ABC Sports during the Adelaide Test.
“It’s not something you teach young bowlers to do but he’s found a way. He ambles in and then the last two steps just powers through the crease while such great areas.
“He’s quite hyper mobile in his joints and sort of got a great wrist and very good control. Bowl moves both ways So he’s full package,” he added.
McGrath without taking any credit explained what he suggested Bumrah all those years ago and how it has helped him become a better bowler.
“Well you’ve got a whatever their natural ability is and I saw Jasprit, when he was younger he had a good pace but his action was completely different,” McGrath recollected.
“It was a short run-up, he was bowling quick but he had a massive jump (away from the stumps) and then he’d bowl.
“He had good pace and angled in and everything and I sort of suggested it’d be better if he went straight through the crease, but he couldn’t do it and so he played like that.
“I think then he had a problem with his knee, he sort of blew his knee out whatever damage he did to it and when he came back I think he had to train himself to go straight through the crease.
“So first let me say I’m not taking any credit whatsoever for that but he had to retrain himself which is tough and now he goes straight through the crease that arm right behind the ball and with that pace and skidding it into the stumps, he’s definitely a handful,” he added.
India and Australia will play the third Test beginning December 14 in Brisbane, followed by matches in Melbourne starting December 26 and in Sydney from January 3.
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