'He still has a lot to prove in Tests' - Waqar Younis on Jasprit Bumrah's red-ball career

Jasprit Bumrah is among the world's premier white-ball bowlers in modern cricket, commanding respect across formats and nations. Players from Australia, South Africa, England, and elsewhere rate him among the finest in the game. Yet Pakistan legend Waqar Younis has drawn a clear distinction between Bumrah's dominance in limited-overs cricket and his standing in the longer format.

During a podcast conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, Younis offered a candid assessment of the Indian pacer's career trajectory. He acknowledged Bumrah's unmatched impact in T20 and one-day cricket while questioning whether the fast bowler has established himself as a Test match force.

"There's no modern-day bowler of the same calibre as Bumrah with the white ball. Leave out Test cricket. He still has a lot to prove in Tests. He hasn't played as much." Younis said during a chat on the Shubhankar Mishra podcast.

"There are plenty of others, like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. You can't ignore some of the English bowlers either. But when you talk about T20 and one-day cricket, I feel that in terms of impact, Bumrah always delivers in crunch scenarios. And that's what matters," he added.

Why has Bumrah's Test career remained limited?

Bumrah's Test career has remained limited due to a combination of injury concerns and workload management decisions. The pacer has often been rested during subcontinent assignments, reducing his opportunities to build a substantial red-ball record. This selective approach to his Test participation has meant fewer matches compared to his white-ball commitments. Despite these constraints, Bumrah has taken 234 wickets in 52 Tests at an average of 19.7 and became the fastest Indian pacer to pick up 150 Test wickets in just 34 matches, a milestone Waqar Younis himself achieved in 27 Tests.

Younis highlighted Bumrah's decisive role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, particularly a moment that shifted the course of a crucial match against Pakistan. The dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan during that tournament proved pivotal in determining the outcome of the contest in New York. Bumrah was named Player of the Tournament with 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.17.

"Whenever an Indian captain is in trouble, he always gives the ball to Bumrah. Pakistan had no business losing in New York. The required rate was well under control," Younis said.

"That over in which Bumrah dismissed Rizwan proved to be the difference. Impact players are the key players. A top player can motivate others who too feel that we have to match him," he added.

Younis's remarks underscored the distinction between Bumrah's proven white-ball excellence and the unfinished nature of his Test legacy. While the Indian pacer had delivered consistently in high-pressure limited-overs situations, his red-ball credentials remained a subject of ongoing evaluation. Bumrah's trajectory in Test cricket continued to evolve, with the pacer having recently completed 200 Test wickets and becoming the fastest Indian pacer to achieve that milestone in 44 matches, surpassing Kapil Dev's record of 50 matches.