Currently, Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi are two of the subcontinent’s most deadly pacers. Due to an injury, Bumrah is now out of action. But because of his prior achievements, he now leads India’s bowling attack. The 29-year-old Bumrah has 128 wickets in 30 Tests and 121 in 72 One-Day Internationals. He has taken 70 wickets in 60 T20 matches. Shaheen, a left-arm pacer, has claimed 99 wickets in 25 Test matches. In 32 ODIs and 47 T20Is, the 22-year-old has taken 62 and 58 wickets, respectively.
Statistics might suggest that the two pacers are about equally effective, but Abdul Razzaq, a former Pakistan all-rounder, has a different opinion. “Shaheen bahut acha 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, who was better among Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen, Razzaq replied: “All three are good.” As for the forthcoming four-match series against the number one team in the world, Australia, India captain Rohit Sharma is hoping that pace ace Jasprit Bumrah would make a comeback to spearhead the attack in the final two Tests. The 29-year-old Burmah, who hasn’t played in an international match since September of last year due to a back ailment, isn’t included in the India squad for the first two Test matches, but recently returned to bowl at the National Cricket Academy, giving fans optimism for a quick comeback.
“About Bumrah, I am not too sure at the moment. For 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.
