Former Sri Lankan cricketer says Jasprit Bumrah 'similar' to Wasim Akram in prime

KARACHI: Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof termed India’s frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah the most difficult bowler across formats currently, comparing his dominance with Pakistan legend Wasim Akram in his prime.

Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in leading India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup glory last year, has often been compared to the former Pakistan captain, while former Indian cricketer Varun Aaron even termed him better than Akram.

Meanwhile, Maharoof, who represented Sri Lanka in 22 Tests, 109 ODIs and eight T20Is, became the latest addition to the comparison debate as he praised Bumrah for further harnessing his skills, particularly for his ability to bowl out-swinging deliveries to the right-handed batters.

The former Sri Lankan all-rounder then went on to label Bumrah as the most difficult bowler to face across formats, drawing a similarity to Akram in his prime.

“I think his action (on what makes him effective) and ability now. I remember when I played against Jasprit in the Champions League, around 2013 or 2014. What I remember of him then and what I see now is a big difference. Gone are the days when he was, for example, just an inswing bowler to right-handers,” Maharoof told an Indian news website.

“Nowadays, he has developed an effective outswing as well. If you ask 90% of the batters around the world, apart from India, who the most difficult bowler to face in any form of the game is, they say Jasprit Bumrah. That’s similar to how Wasim Akram was seen in his prime,” he added.

Maharoof then went on to advise the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ‘carefully’ manage his workload, calling the 31-year-old a one-of-a-kind player.

“He has done wonderfully well, but unfortunately, he keeps getting injured because of his back issues. Being a fast bowler myself, I understand what he is going through. It’s important for him as well as the BCCI to manage his workload carefully going forward because Jasprit Bumrah is one of a kind,” Maharoof continued.

“Players like him don’t come into the system very often, so when he’s there, it’s crucial to maximise his international career. People have to understand that every time a fast bowler delivers a ball, more than three times their body weight goes through their body. This puts immense stress on the back, knees, ankles - everything,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Jasprit Bumrah is set to make his T20I return in the upcoming ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 since India's triumphant T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, as the selectors kept him away from the shortest format in light of his workload management.