Calypso Kings doff their hats to 'timeless' Bumrah

Dubai - Sir Andy Roberts, Curtly Ambrose heap praise on the young Indian quick

When it came to India's fast bowling stock, we always glanced at our neighbours with a bit of envy. Pakistan always managed to conjure gems, so much so that, it was said that they had an assembly line.
Jingoism aside, we marveled at 'Sultan of Swing' Wasim Akram, the sheer pace of Waqar Younis as well as Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir.
India, for that matter, always backed their strong batting line-up and relied heavily on spin. We had our medium pacers and a few who could be termed 'fast,' but their role was more or less punching a few holes in the opening spell and then building the pressure for the spinners.
But there has been a paradigm shift. India are now riding the crest of a wave and galloping them up the forefront has been the young Jasprit Bumrah.
He's a freak of nature, with an unusual action, and as has the case been with freaks of nature, the 25-year-old is fast turning out to be a genius of sorts.
Since making his Test bow a year and seven months ago, Bumrah has added a new dimension to India's bowling attack and changed the landscape.
For long known as a batting heavy line-up, Bumrah and his accomplices have changed that perception of the Indian cricket team.
Bumrah is just 11 Tests old but has already plundered 55 wickets. And he made quite the noise at North Sound in Antigua, snaffling 5-7 in just eight overs, against the West Indies.
It led Sir Andy Roberts, part of the famed West Indies fast bowling quintet, back in the day, to gush that Bumrah is the best Indian fast bowler he had ever seen.
Another West Indian great Curtly Ambrose, while saying that Bumrah reminded him of Courtney Walsh, added that he could've been one of them and one who could've played in any era.
Going by the looks of it, Bumrah will join these pantheons of greats.
james@khaleejtimes.com