Jasprit Bumrah was on fire in the first ODI between England and India on Tuesday as he ran through the Three Lions top-order to register figures of 6/19 at The Oval in London. The Ahmedabad-born quick's stunning display in the British capital was the best by an Indian fast bowler on English soil. As he wreaked havoc among the English batters, former England captain Nasser Hussain declared Jasprit Bumrah the “best all-format bowler in the world”. Subsequently, India legend Sachin Tendulkar, current England skipper Jos Buttler and Michael Vaughan all agreed with Nasser Hussain's comments as they hailed Jasprit Bumrah for his continuing adaptation in line with the requirements of different formats of the game. However, Jasprit Bumrah downplayed Nasser Hussain's remarks as he claimed that praise and criticism were part and parcel of a professional athlete's career.
“I neither become too happy with the praises nor feel too down when I'm criticised. I don't look at myself and say, ‘I'm good in this format or that'. I enjoy every format of the game. I try to control the things I can. I am very grateful for the applause, I respect that but I don't take these things seriously,” Jasprit Bumrah responded to a question in the post-match press conference after India's ten-wicket triumph over England in the first ODI.
“I respect what people (experts) have to say but I don't take them seriously – good or bad. I live in present, because there is a lot of outside noise, your mind can be cluttered by lot of opinions and it can create confusion,” he added.
“So, it is important to stick to one's own evaluation about own's self, – stay focussed on own preparation and tick all boxes required, if you do that — like take care of your fitness, diet and whatever is within your control and the process you follow, then you accept the results (good or bad) you get, that gives stability,” Jasprit Bumrah explained.
“See, I don't look at end results and judge myself really. There have been occasions where I have bowled so much better than this and not gotten wickets but I always follow the same routine. It did help that the white Kookaburra ball swung both ways during the entire duration of the England innings,” Jasprit Bumrah opined.
Jasprit Bumrah's unexpected response came after Nasser Hussain heaped rich praises on him after the India pacer took six English wickets at The Oval.
“Bumrah would have to be the best all-format bowler in world cricket. Who would be the challengers? Maybe Trent Boult, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jofra Archer when fit. But right now, he is the best there is,” Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“The performance in this game was spectacular, high-class. Some of the balls were absolute jaffas. He has the unusual action and run-up so the ball does come at you like a thunderbolt. He also swings it both ways – but he does not just swing it, he is quick as well,” the ex-England skipper pointed out.
The 28-year-old pacer ripped apart the English top order before ending the English innings with figures of 6/19, the best by an Indian bowler on British soil.
En route to his remarkable performance, Jasprit Bumrah went past Kuldeep Yadav, who held the record for the previous best bowling display in the United Kingdom. The chinaman spinner had recorded figures of 6/25 in 2018.
Jasprit Bumrah began his six-wicket haul with the wicket of England opener Jason Roy who failed to trouble the scorers as he got bowled for a duck in the second over of the contest.
The Mumbai Indians fast bowler then got rid of the dangerous Joe Root and the swashbuckling Jonny Bairstow for zero and seven respectively.
Joe Root in particular had no clue whatsoever as the ball jumped from a good length area before taking an outside edge of his bat. The 31-year-old cricketer who was in the form of life in recent Test matches against both New Zealand and India was caught behind by Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Jasprit Bumrah, subsequently, scalped the wickets of Liam Livingstone, David Willey, and Brydon Carse to become the first Indian pacer to take six wickets on English soil in a One-Day International.
Bumrah’s figures of 6/19 are also the third-best figures by an Indian with Stuart Binny with his 6/4 against Bangladesh in 2014 and Anil Kumble with his 6/12 against West Indies in 1993 ahead of him.
Bumrah will be back in action on Thursday when India will face the Jos Buttler-led side in the second ODI at Lord's.
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