India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel hailed Jasprit Bumrah as the “number one bowler in the world” following his exceptional five-wicket haul on the second day of the third Test against Australia in Brisbane. Bumrah’s impressive display stood out as the Indian bowlers battled against a dominant Australian batting lineup.
Bumrah led India’s bowling effort, finishing with figures of 5/72 in 25 overs at an economy rate of 2.90. His scalps included key wickets of centurions Steve Smith and Travis Head, along with dismissals of Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, and Mitchell Marsh. His performance not only disrupted Australia’s momentum but also marked a historic achievement — his 10th five-wicket haul outside Asia, surpassing Kapil Dev’s record of nine.
Speaking at the post-day press conference, Morkel lauded Bumrah’s brilliance and highlighted his leadership on the field. “Bumrah is the number one bowler in the world. He leads from the front, and we need others to back him up and form those partnerships,” Morkel said.
Morkel also commended the efforts of Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, who bowled tirelessly under challenging conditions. “Akash Deep bowled his heart out and asked good questions with both the new and old ball. On another day, he could have picked up a few wickets,” Morkel noted.
He added that Siraj, despite struggling with cramps, continued to deliver impactful spells late in the day, showing immense grit and determination.
Back to the match earlier, India began Day 2 on the back foot after a wicketless first day, where they bowled 13 overs without success. The bowlers bounced back strongly in the morning session, dismissing Khawaja (21), McSweeney (9), and Labuschagne (12) to reduce Australia to 75/3.
However, a mammoth 241-run partnership between Smith (101 off 190 balls, 10 fours) and Head (152 off 160 balls, 18 fours) tilted the game in Australia’s favor. Bumrah eventually broke the stand, triggering a flurry of wickets, but Australia ended the day in a commanding position at 405/7, with Alex Carey (45*) and Mitchell Starc (7*) unbeaten at the crease.