IND vs AUS | Always a challenge coming up against Australia, admits Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah is geared up for the Australia challenge
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Jasprit Bumrah expressed excitement over having the opportunity to ‘test himself against the best’ in the forthcoming series against Australia and labelled the Aussies as extremely challenging opponents. Bumrah claimed that he is looking forward to a host of things, not least the pink-ball Test.
Almost five years after making his first appearance in international cricket, Jasprit Bumrah will return to Australian shores once again, but this time as one of the best in the world. The Sydney ODI in 2016 - in which he returned figures of 2/40 - marked the beginning of something special and since, the unorthodox right-armer has scalped a staggering 231 wickets, firmly establishing himself as the most complete fast bowler in world cricket. A part of the Indian squad in all three formats, Bumrah will have a key role to play in the two-month long tour that lies in front of the Men in Blue who, last time around, triumphed over the hosts in both the Tests and ODIs.
Speaking to ANI, ahead of the tour that will kick off on November 27th with the ODIs, the 27-year-old revealed that he is braced for the challenge and claimed that he sees the entire tour as a golden opportunity to test himself against the best.
"It will be interesting, always a challenge when you go to Australia and it is a well-fought series. You look forward to it as you always want to play against the best, you always want to challenge yourself and be in pressure situations," Bumrah told ANI.
Among the challenges that lie ahead of the visiting Indian side is a pink-ball Test, which will be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 17. The fixture will be just the second ever pink-ball Test in India’s history, but Bumrah expressed excitement over the prospect of playing a D/N Test in Australia, potentially in front of crowds.
"Looking forward to it, will be an interesting tour. Many new exciting things are also there, you have the pink-ball Test match. Hoping everything goes well and we will have a good time," he said.
The raging, ever-lasting threat of the pandemic means that restrictions and regulations are still firmly in place, meaning bowlers still have no option but to adhere to the strict ‘no saliva’ rule. Bumrah ravaged batsmen in the IPL without applying saliva, and he opined that the saliva ban will have all but little effect in white-ball cricket. The speedster, however, claimed that it might turn out to be a ‘big factor’ in Test cricket.
"For me, it is not a big factor in white-ball cricket because the ball doesn't swing anyway a lot and the seam movement is also not much in the shortest format. So you don't look to shine the ball a lot and it can only come into play when the surfaces are dry and you can reverse the ball. I feel it is a much bigger factor in the red-ball format.”
The first ODI between Australia and India will be played at the SCG on November 27.
