Melbourne, Australia

Former Australia head coach Justin Langer has heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah as he continues to impress in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Down Under. Bumrah has been in centre of India’s success so far, helping them with both ball and bat at times. The pacer was named Player of the Match in Perth for his match-winning performance and is the leading wicket-taker in the series, with 21 scalps.

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Langer in awe of Bumrah

“I would hate to face him. He is like Wasim Akram. For me, he is a right-hand version of Wasim Akram, and every time I am asked the question ‘Who is the best bowler you have ever faced’, I say, Wasim Akram," Justin Langer told The Nightly on Thursday (Dec 19).

So far in the series, Bumrah has been the most reliable asset for India with 21 wickets and few cameos with the bat.

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In the opening Test in Perth, Bumrah scalped eight wickets, helping the side clinch a record-breaking 295-run win. Interestingly, he was also the captain of the side in Perth with Rohit Sharma out on paternity leave.

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With a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final spot up for grabs, Bumrah will have to roll in his sleeves to help India reach the summit clash. India currently sit third in the WTC standings and will need to win at least one or if not two matches to guarantee a spot in the summit clash.

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India look to continue impressive run at MCG

With the Boxing Day Test starting on December 26, India will look to continue their impressive run at the venue. Australia have not beaten India since December 2011, when Michael Clarke’s side got the better of MS Dhoni’s side. In 2014, the Boxing Day Test ended in a draw while India won the same in 2018 and 2020 under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane respectively.

(Inputs from Agencies)