Jasprit Bumrah’s maturity and his ability to learn quickly have made him one of the finest pacers going around, according to Munaf Patel. The World Cup-winning former fast bowler said he was not surprised to see a ‘thinking bowler’ like Bumrah find success with the red ball in home conditions, likening the Mumbai Indians pacer to his former teammate, Zaheer Khan.

Initially labelled as a white-ball specialist, Jasprit Bumrah proved his naysayers wrong with a sensational show in his maiden Test series in South Africa in 2018. It did not take long for Bumrah to script a successful chapter in Test cricket as he inspired India to quite a few famous victories in South Africa, Australia, and England.

Bumrah played 17 Tests overseas before making his home debut in Chennai in 2021. The fast bowler exceeded expectations at home as he had an even more threatening impact in subcontinent conditions. Bumrah’s ability to use reverse swing to good effect with the old ball was evident with the way he tormented England in the 2nd Test of the ongoing 5-match series in Visakhapatnam.

Bumrah, who was rested for the 4th Test in Ranchi, has taken 17 wickets in 3 matches against England in the series, out-bowling the spin twins of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The pacer has an average of 14.54 across 7 Tests in India with 31 wickets, which includes two five-wicket hauls.

“As a bowler, a lot of your success after the initial impact depends on how much you improve. Look the way Bumrah has evolved from the start of his career to becoming the No. 1 Test bowler, he is a quick learner. He doesn’t take a lot of time to improve on a particular skill or area. It’s much like off-spinner R Ashwin. Whenever you see him at the start of a new series, you will see the difference with an added skill or variation. Bumrah’s fitness is also good,” Munaf Patel, who is leading Chattisgarh Warriors in the inaugural edition of the Indian Veteran Premier League in Greater Noida, told IndiaToday.in.

LIKE ZAHEER, LIKE BUMRAH

Earlier in February, Jasprit Bumrah became the first Indian fast bowler to be ranked No. 1 in the ICC Test Bowling charts, a feat that he achieved after his sensational 9-wicket match haul in Visakhapatnam.

Munaf Patel recalled Zaheer Khan’s ability to keep thinking about his game and evolve accordingly, adding that he has been observing that trait in Jasprit Bumrah. The World Cup winner, who picked up 35 wickets in 13 Tests for India, said Bumrah’s willingness to learn and adapt to conditions sets him apart from the rest in the modern era.

“Bumrah’s maturity is very good. He is a bowling captain. I believe these are the things that are helping him achieve big. Nothing very different, but his discipline and his ability to read the game well are the reasons for his success,” Munaf said.

“If you make the opposition think a lot about you, these kind of results come. In the past, Zaheer Khan made it happen. For Zaheer, the opposition prepared more, and sat down to discuss him before matches. So Zaheer was able to use that and find success. Now it’s Bumrah, who is at the best phase of his career. That question mark is always in an opposition’s mind. He is in his best rhythm.

“The thinking aspect of a game is very important. Yes, spinners are expected to take wickets in India, but fast bowlers performing well at home shows how well they are thinking about their game and executing their plans. The pace is natural for him, but his thinking has improved. He takes very little time to read the opposition batter and come up with plans to outsmart him,” Munaf added.

“He is the captain of the bowling unit. Like Ashwin for the spinners, Bumrah is the leader of the pace attack. Yes, there is added pressure, but he also works that much more hard to live up to the hype,” the 40-year-old added.

Over the years, Bumrah has kept on adding different elements to his bowling. From the outswinger to the right-hander to those lethal slower ones, the man with the uncanny action has never shied away from learning new things and incorporating them into his game.

India have missed Jasprit Bumrah in the 4th Test in Ranchi where the pitch has had variable bounce. England were in the driver’s seat at the end of the second day as India slipped to 219 for 7, trailing the tourists’ first innings total of 353 by 134 runs.