Picture after final ball of Day 1 of India vs Australia 5th Test.© AFP

Australian stars Steve Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja opened up on facing star India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, expressing how lethal and difficult he is to play. As India tours Australia, one of the stars that will intrigue throughout the series is Bumrah. Tasked with a mission to help India reach the ICC World Test Championship final for the third successive time despite a humiliating series loss to New Zealand at home, all eyes will be on the star pacer as India’s ‘golden arm’ makes the most of the most difficult things happen, just when they look impossible.

Speaking on FOX Cricket, Steve Smith said about Bumrah that it takes a little while to get used to him.

“He is just awkward with the way he bowls, it is obviously very different to a lot of other people. It takes a little bit of getting used to. I have played against him quite a lot now, and it still takes a couple of balls to get used to the different rhythm,” said Smith.

Describing how it feels facing Bumrah in just one word, one of Australia’s chief tormentors, Head said, “Impossible.”

Head said that Bumrah is always one step ahead of every batter and is the X-Factor of Indian team.

“You try to feel like you are one step ahead, but it always feels like he is that next step,” he continued.

“Any format of the game, he is incredible. He is their X-factor, he is the guy they go to every time, and more often than not, he is able to produce for them.”

“In big moments you want big players, and I think he is their biggest.”

“You have got your work cut out as a batter. He is someone that is going to be difficult over summer,” concluded Head.

Opener Khawaja also said, “When I first faced Bumrah, I was like, ‘Oh where did that come from?'”

He said that the ball comes quicker to batters than expected because of his unique action and ball release.

“Much like Mitchell Johnson, he had a weird action too. The ball used to come out and felt like it got to you quicker because you did not get a look at it the whole way. Jasprit’s a little bit the same, with arms going everywhere” he concluded.

Over his past two visits to Australia, Bumrah has taken a total of 32 Tests wickets, averaging 21.25. This includes a match-winning 6-33 during the 2018 Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. Since the 20th century start, only two touring bowlers have more wickets in Australia at a lower average – Richard Hadlee and Curtly Ambrose.

A look at Bumrah vs Australia’s batters

Usman Khawaja – Two wickets at average of 67.50

Steve Smith – Three wickets at 56.67

Marnus Labuschagne – two wickets at 53.50

Alex Carey – two wickets at 45.50

Mitchell Marsh – two wickets at 30.00

Travis Head – four wickets at 28.50

After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10.

Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series’ penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.

India’s squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australia squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.