Legendary Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath recalls his first conversation with young Jasprit Bumrah and dissects the Indian fast bowler’s bowling.
“He’s very unique. Doesn’t he run the way he does,” McGrath said on commentary for ABC Sports during the Adelaide Test.
“It’s not something you teach young bowlers to do but he has found a way. He steps in and then just powers through the crease in the last two stages while such great fields.
“He is very hyper mobile in his joints and has a good wrist and very good control. The bowl moves both ways so he is the complete package,” he added.
McGrath, without taking credit, explained what he had advised Bumrah all those years ago and how it had helped him become a better bowler.
“You have whatever natural ability they have and I saw Jasprit, when he was younger he had good pace but his action was completely different,” McGrath recalled.
“It was a short run-up, he was bowling fast but he had a big jump (away from the stumps) and then he bowled.
“He had good pace and angle to everything and I suggested it would be better if he went straight through the crease, but he couldn’t do that and so he played like that.
“I think he had a knee problem then, he did whatever damage to his knee and when he came back I think he had to train himself to go straight through the crease.
“So first I want to say I’m not taking any credit for that but he’s had to retrain himself which is tough and now he goes right through the crease of the arm right behind the ball and with that speed and skidding on the stumps, he’s definitely a handful, ” he added.
India and Australia will play the third Test in Brisbane from December 14, followed by Melbourne on December 26 and Sydney from January 3.