Dinesh Karthik was all praises about Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah after his fifer at Headingley and compared the speedster to the Kohinoor diamond.
This admiration came after another display of fast bowling masterclass from Bumrah. He ran through England’s batting line-up in the first Test of the ongoing five-match series at Headingley and picked up five wickets for 83, helping skittle England for 465 runs in response to India’s first innings total of 471.
It was a performance reminiscent of Jasprit Bumrah’s finest away spells, and it marked his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was yet another reminder of his stature as the spearhead of India’s bowling attack, especially overseas.
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Dinesh Karthik Calls Jasprit Bumrah India’s ‘Kohinoor’
Reacting to Bumrah’s latest heroics, Karthik did not hold back in his admiration.
"He is as valuable as the Kohinoor diamond. I hope people realise how important he is to the team across formats. He will make it work regardless of formats, bowling phase and any kind of ball. But more importantly, he has got the brain that knows what the batter is trying to do and he has got that wired very nicely," Karthik said as quoted on Sky Cricket.
Bumrah now averages under 19.40 in Test cricket, the best by a bowler with more than 200 wickets. Karthik pointed out this fact.
"In the history of the game, for any bowler who has picked more than 200 wickets, he has the best average and that tells you he is something very special," he added.
Karthik’s comments echoed what many within Indian cricket already believe that Bumrah is a once-in-a-generation fast-bowler.
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"No Question He is India's Greatest" - Ravi Shastri on Jasprit Bumrah's Unmatched Skill
Ravi Shastri, who has seen generations of fast bowlers up close, both as a player and coach, did not mince words when asked where Bumrah ranks. He drew Bumrah's comparison with the great Kapil Dev and West Indies legend Malcom Marshall.
"There is no question he is India's greatest fast bowler. I played with Kapil Dev but this guy is different. He can take any opposition apart, on any surface, in any format. I thought Malcolm Marshall was the best I saw in reading a batter and setting him up but this guy is not far behind. When he is swinging the new ball it becomes hard for any batter in the world to counter him, what with the action and the late release," Shastri said on Sky Cricket.
Bumrah's efforts gave India a six-run lead after the first innings. At stumps on Day 3, the visiting side scored 90 runs for the loss of two wickets, stretching their lead to 96.
