The high-voltage Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 is set to kick off on November 22 in Perth, with fans eagerly awaiting a clash between two cricketing giants, Australia and India. The series promises intense competition, especially with the high stakes involved in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Both teams boast formidable lineups, making this a battle of skill, strategy, and resilience.
Mitchell Marsh names the toughest Indian bowlers
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh named two Indian bowlers as the most challenging. He first named spinner Ravindra Jadeja and admitted that Jadeja’s skills on turning wickets in India are unmatched. Marsh reckoned that Jadeja’s accurate and relentless bowling on spin-friendly pitches makes life difficult for batters and the left-armer spinner’s ability to generate sharp turn and bounce, coupled with his consistency, leaves very little margin for error. Marsh specifically highlighted the challenge of playing Jadeja in India, where conditions amplify the spinner’s strengths.
“I think I’ve got two. Jadeja (Ravindra Jadeja) in India on a turning Wicket. I’ve never been more challenged than that,” said Marsh on Fox Cricket.
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Marsh then named Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as the toughest bowler to face. He described Bumrah as an ‘X factor’ in world cricket and observed that the Indian pacer’s ability to consistently bowl at 145 km/h with an unusual action poses significant challenges for any batter. According to Marsh, Bumrah’s deliveries ‘hit you hard,’ reflecting his precision and the pace at which he bowls. The Aussie acknowledged that facing Bumrah demands a high level of concentration and adaptability due to his unpredictability and skillset.
“Bumrah (Jasprit Bumrah) is just an X factor. He’s different he hits you bad hard. He sorts of walks in and bowls an 145k’s an hour so he provides a lot of challenges,” added Marsh.
Travis Head picks the most challenging Indian bowler
Explosive Australian batter Travis Head singled out Bumrah as the toughest Indian bowler across all formats. Head mentioned that Bumrah always seems ‘one step ahead,’ indicating the Indian pacer’s ability to outthink batters. He pointed out Bumrah’s unconventional bowling action, which makes it harder for batters to pick his variations. Head also referred to the ‘unbelievable tricks’ Bumrah possesses, hinting at his deadly yorkers, slower balls, and ability to seam or swing the ball unexpectedly.
“Bumrah would be number one in all formats. He always feels like he’s one step ahead of you as much as you’re trying to be one step ahead of him and he’s got a few unbelievable tricks obviously and then yeah just a different action are something that you’ve got to get used to so yeah he’d be number one,” said Head.