Indian and Pakistan players can never escape comparison given their historic rivalry. Shaheen Afridi and Jasprit Bumrah are two of the world’s most lethal pacers right now, and it is natural that the two stars face comparison.
Bumrah is currently out with an injury. His previous exploits, however, have made him the spearhead of the Indian bowling attack. Bumrah has taken 128 wickets in 30 Tests and 121 wickets in 72 One-Day Internationals. He has taken 70 wickets in 60 T20Is. In contrast, left-arm pacer Shaheen has 99 wickets in 25 Tests. The 22-year-old has 62 wickets in 32 One-Day Internationals and 58 wickets in 47 Twenty20 Internationals.
While statistics suggest that the two pacers are nearly equally effective, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq believes otherwise. “Shaheen bahut accha hai, Bumrah toh uske paas bhi nahi aata (Shaheen is very good. Bumrah doesn’t come near him),” Abdul Razzaq told Paktv.tv recently. When asked which of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen was better, Razzaq replied, “All three are good.”
I am not too sure at the moment: Rohit Sharma
In the meantime, India captain Rohit Sharma is hoping that Jasprit Bumrah will be available to lead the attack in the final two Tests of the upcoming four-match series against world number one Australia.
The 29-year-old Burmah, who hasn’t played international cricket since September last year due to a back injury, isn’t in India’s squad for the first two Tests, but he recently returned to bowl at the National Cricket Academy nets, raising hopes of a comeback soon.
“About Bumrah, I am not too sure at the moment. The first two Test matches, of course, he is not going to be available. I am expecting…I am hoping, not expecting, that he plays the next (last) two Test matches (against Australia). We don’t want to take any risks with him as back injuries are always critical. We have a lot of cricket coming back after that as well,” Rohit said recently.
“We are in constant touch with physios and doctors in NCA. We will monitor. The medical team will give him as much time as he wants,” he added.
