"We compared Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi earlier, there is a huge difference" - Gautam Gambhir lauds Indian seamer's spell vs AFG

Gautam Gambhir recently lauded Jasprit Bumrah for bowling a penetrative spell in India's World Cup 2023 clash against Afghanistan and opined that he is a far superior bowler to Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Bumrah returned with figures of 4/39 in 10 overs as the Men in Blue restricted Hashmatullah Shahidi and company to 272/8 in Delhi on Wednesday, October 11. The Men in Blue then chased down the below-par target with eight wickets and 15 overs to spare to register their second win of the tournament.

While reviewing the game on Star Sports, Gambhir pointed out that the likes of Afridi cannot be compared with Bumrah. He elaborated:

"The way he dismissed Mitchell Marsh on that wicket (in the first game against Australia) and the way he dismissed Ibrahim Zadran today, if there is a complete and most lethal bowler in world cricket, it is Bumrah. We compared Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi earlier, there is a huge difference."

The former Indian opener highlighted that the unconventional seamer is a potent weapon in all phases of an ODI game. He stated:

"Tell me one fast bowler who can make such an impact in every phase. Bowlers bowl well either with the new ball or at the death but Bumrah has the same impact in the middle overs as he has with the new ball or the old ball."

Gambhir also pointed out that Rohit Sharma introduced Bumrah into the attack in the middle overs when a partnership was developing. He added that the Indian skipper knows that his Mumbai Indians teammate is an X-factor, highlighting most captains would have brought back their wrist spinner in such situations.

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"Jasprit Bumrah does not need the wicket" - Gautam Gambhir

Jasprit Bumrah gave India their first breakthrough by dismissing Ibrahim Zadran. [P/C: AP]

Gautam Gambhir highlighted that Jasprit Bumrah does not need help from the pitch to pick up wickets. He said:

"The way he picked up wickets on this wicket, it's not that they got out while playing bad shots. He dismissed batters while they were defending and then with a slower one and lbw. So Jasprit Bumrah does not need the wicket."

The cricketer-turned-politician added:

"There is only one bowler in world cricket, whether it is ODI or red-ball cricket, who does not need the wicket and has the quality to beat the batters in the air and with the short ball or the slower one."

Gambhir concluded by stating that although Mohammed Siraj might be the higher-ranked ODI bowler, Bumrah is the biggest X-factor in the world at the moment.