Has Jasprit Bumrah claimed the mantle as the best Test cricket fast bowler ever?

Bharat Sundaresan has made a huge call, labelling Jasprit Bumrah as the best fast bowler of all time.

Wasim Akram, Dale Steyn, Glenn McGrath, Malcolm Marshall, Dennis Lillee, Curtly Ambrose, Jimmy Anderson – forget the rest, Bumrah is number one – according to the SEN Cricket analyst.

“I think he is the best fast bowler of all-time. I got a lot of flack for saying it on social media with people saying they’ve been watching Test cricket for 50 years … and I have a lot of respect for that,” he said.

“He takes wickets in all conditions. He averages 17 at home and 19 away from home. They’re ridiculous numbers we’re talking about.

“These are the kinds of numbers you saw on uncovered pitches in the late 1900s!

“He’s not once in a generation … I’m calling him the best ever. There’s just something about him.

“How often has he turned games on its head? He’s done it here, he’s done it in India earlier this year.

“He missed 18 months of cricket and he’s come back looking stronger and meaner. Just look at his battle with Sam Konstas. You rarely see Bumrah react too much after taking a wicket, but he would’ve heard the chat about how Konstas owned him.”

Bumrah has almost singlehandedly kept India alive in this Test series, having taken 29 wickets (at an average of 13.24) – 12 higher than the next most in Pat Cummins.

He has played 44 Test matches and taken 202 wickets. He has taken more wickets in Australia than anywhere else at 61.

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