World Cup 2023: Is Bumrah better than Rabada, Cummins, Shaheen and Boult?

Jasprit Bumrah's ability to bowl slower ones at will, read the situation well, and utilize home conditions to his advantage make him the best fast bowler in the ICC World Cup 2023

Everybody is familiar with Jasprit Bumrah’s nonchalant actions. A lot has been written about his almost non-existent run-ups and the threats that exist and have troubled him over the years because of his bowling action. But the most striking of all elements in Jasprit Bumrah is his brain and how it works. Check India vs Bangladesh LIVE SCORE AND MATCH UPDATE HERE

Yes, he bowls fast, but the ability to know when the batter is not expecting a cutter and when the bouncer would be an ideal delivery is an art that can never be taught. It is instinctive and it is called cricketing smarts. It is this cricketing smartness that is keeping him ahead of the pack of fast bowlers who have been on a hunt in the ICC World Cup 2023.

What separates Bumrah from the rest

For starters-wickets. Bumrah has 8 wickets from three games he picked four against Afghanistan and two each against Australia and Pakistan. Among the rest of the star pacers- Kagiso Rabada of South Africa has seven, Pat Cummins of Australia and Trent Boult of New Zealand have three each, and Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi has found it difficult to even strike once in every match. He has got just four wickets in the three matches so far and has been very expensive as well.  

Afridi has been so dull in the World Cup in the first three games that former India coach Ravi Shastri said, “When Naseem Shah is not playing and this is the quality of spin... Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram. He is a good bowler with the new ball and can pick wickets, but there is nothing special about him. He is only a decent bowler. He's no big deal. You have to accept the truth.”

Jasprit Bumrah wickets and how they have come

It is not the number of wickets that makes Bumrah different. Even New Zealand pacer Matt Henry and spinner Mitchell Santner have wickets. But why is it that Bumrah is more lethal on any day compared to them? It is where his variations come in.

The ball to get Mohammad Rizwan in Ahmedabad was just too good for any batter. He made sure that Rizwan, who was looking to get a quick single to reach his fifty, committed to the front foot, and then bam the in-cutter length ball and the stumps went flying past the Pakistani wicket-keeper batter.

On the other hand, his full-pace length ball to send Shadab Khan’s stumps rolling was a spectacular display of speed. The out-swinger to get Mitchell Marsh and the in-swinger to trap Mohammad Nabi have seen Bumrah display variety in his bowling.

On the other hand, while Shaheen did not learn how to bowl cutters on a pitch that was gripping, Rabada was unable to use his deadly yorkers against the Netherlands tailender. Cummins and Bopult have been totally off the mark.

The use of home conditions

Apart from his variations, cricketing smarts and other bowlers not being able to find form, what Bumrah has exploited is home conditions as well. In situations where has not been able to get quick wickets, Bumrah has used his familiarity with situations and home advantage.

Speaking after the Pakistan game, the 29-year-old said, “I have played a lot of junior cricket on this ground. Since it was a flat wicket, I tried to implement that experience of mine here. Before getting hit for four boundaries, it's vital to realize that there is a wicket right after one boundary. That's what I was trying.”

Talking about how he used his experience of extensive travel during the Indian Premier League, Bumrah said it helped him against Afghanistan in Delhi. "There I tried to use my IPL experience about how to bowl on flat wickets. I have been playing in the IPL for the past 11 years, so it helps."

With three matches at the league stage and then possibly the semi-final and the final, Bumrah has got to show endurance to last the next nine games and display his finesse on the world’s biggest stage. Having not been able to perform to his potential in the past four ICC trophies (Two T20 World Cups, 1 Champions Trophy, and one ODI World Cup), it would be only fitting if he converted this start into a grand finish.