Is Bumrah really the best fast bowler in India’s cricket history? 

It is too early to stick the label of India's greatest-ever fast bowler on Bumrah just yet. One must wait a few more years and see how consistent and successful Bumrah has been at the end of his career.

The meteoric rise of Jasprit Bumrah to the topmost ranks of the world’s best fast bowlers has made his fans ecstatic. They are hailing him as the best fast bowler India has ever produced. Social media is flooded with fans posting idolatry messages about the rising star. Even experienced commentators and cricket experts are now riding the Bumrah bandwagon. It is human nature to be carried away by the star of the day but before passing any verdict, the issue needs careful evaluation.

It is being said that Bumrah has surpassed Kapil Dev.

The former Indian captain has always been considered as the flag bearer of India’s fast bowling credentials. Recently Sunil Gavaskar, himself a legend of Indian batsmanship, joined the debate and spoke for his former teammate Kapil Dev. “This generation sometimes forgets that there were Indians in the previous century that fought and won many great battles,” said Gavaskar.

In Test cricket, Bumrah has played 41 matches, taken 181 wickets at an average of 20.06 and a best performance of six for 27. At the stage when Kapil had played 41 Tests, he had taken 157 wickets at an average of 29.42 and a best performance of seven for 56. So, at this stage no doubt, Bumrah’s figures are better than Kapil’s.

But Kapil ended up playing 131 Test matches and took a total of 434 wickets. It remains to be seen if Bumrah can play that many matches and retain his consistency over such a long period.

Likewise, in the ODI format, Bumrah has played 89 matches and taken 149 wickets. Kapil played 225 ODI matches and took 253 wickets. Bumrah has to play many more matches and only then will a clear picture emerge for comparison.

Other factors

Besides that, a few other factors must be kept in mind. Firstly Bumrah has enjoyed tremendous support from fellow fast bowlers Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and others. The art of fast bowling is now at its peak in India. Kapil did not have any steady partner at the other end to support him. At different times, there were Manoj Prabhakar, Chetan Sharma and Javagal Srinath but the situation was quite different from what it is today.

One cannot disregard Kapil’s superb bowling performances against players like Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border and many others who were famous for hammering the fast bowlers on all surfaces.

Kapil had no serious injuries

Kapil was a natural athlete. His long loping run up and his beautiful side on action saw him bowl unchanged for long spells and he never suffered any serious injury. That in itself was a rare feat among fast bowlers.

Bumrah has an unorthodox and explosive action. He has already had a severe injury. But to his credit, Bumrah fought bravely, worked hard, and emerged on top again. However, can Bumrah remain injury-free in the future and have Kapil’s longevity in the game? This question can only be answered by time.

Nissar and Amar Singh

Moreover, if one is going to consider the entire history of Indian cricket, then one has to also keep in mind the outstanding fast bowlers other than Kapil Dev. It would be difficult to compare Bumrah with Mohammad Nissar and Amar Singh. Cricket was completely different in the 1930s and lacked the sophistication that it now has. There was no coach, support staff, no gym workouts, trainers, and physios.

Despite these drawbacks, Nissar and Amar Singh were considered to be among the world’s best bowlers. C.K. Nayudu has written that during his first spell, Nissar was faster than Englishman Harold Larwood who pulverised the Aussie batsmen during the bodyline series. As for Amar Singh, England’s legendary batsman Wally Hammond once said that he was among the most dangerous opening bowlers of the time. “When Amar Singh bowled, the ball came off the pitch like the crack of doom,” wrote Wally Hammond.

Too early

So keeping all these famous bowlers in mind, it is too early to stick the label of India’s greatest ever fast bowler on Bumrah just yet. One must wait for a few more years and see how consistent and successful Bumrah has been at the end of his career. Only thereafter, a fair and unbiased judgement can be passed about his greatness and his stature in the hierarchy of Indian cricket.