Australia's two-time World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting feels that young Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah is ready to play Test cricket as he possesses all the necessary skills to do well in the longest format of the game
Jasprit Bumrah and (inset) Ricky Ponting
Australia's two-time World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting feels that young Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah is ready to play Test cricket as he possesses all the necessary skills to do well in the longest format of the game.
Jasprit Bumrah and (inset) Ricky Ponting. Pics/AFP
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"If you look at the skills Bumrah has and the way he has come through over the last two years, then he is ready to play Test cricket. He's got everything. He's got an unusual action, got good pace and with the brand new ball can get some good movement in the air," said Ponting, who is the head coach of defending IPL champions MI.
"If India are looking for someone to come in and play Test cricket then I am sure Bumrah's name will be in the selectors' mind," added the former Australian captain.
Ponting and MI's support staff of bowling coach Shane Bond and fielding coach Jonty Rhodes, along with players Parthiv Patel and Krunal Pandya, conducted a short coaching clinic for school children here in association with the team's sponsors Videocon d2h.
Ponting felt that the 22-year-old Gujarat bowler, who made his ODI debut earlier this season in Australia, was coming off an injury last year and the tour Down Under has improved him as a bowler. "Over the last three months, starting with the Australia tour and then the World T20, he has been a stand-out performer and he has been a stand out bowler in IPL as well.
"A lot of times, he has bowled the tougher overs, an over in Power Play and then generally two in death. His skills with the slower ball, yorkers and bouncers are exactly where we wanted him to be."
He said last night's display against Delhi Daredevils, who were thrashed by 80 runs, at Vishakapatnam was MI's best display so far this season.
MI rattled up 206 for 4, riding on Krunal Pandya's blistering 37-ball knock of 86 with six sixes and seven fours and then bundled out the Daredevils for 126.
"Yesterday's game was our best throughout the tournament in what was a very crucial game. We were thrilled to have put out a performance like that when it really mattered most. It goes to show what our team is capable of," said Ponting.
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