‘He’s truly a world-class bowler’ – Zaheer Khan backs Jasprit Bumrah to shine in South Africa Tests

Team India has a chance to script history in the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa, which gets underway on December 26 with the Boxing Day Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. Notably, the rainbow nation is the only country where India hasn’t recorded a Test series win. As Virat Kohli’s men did well in England and Australia earlier this year, many are backing them to shine against the Proteas side as well.

Meanwhile, South African conditions are known to favour fast bowlers, and hence, the speed merchants of both sides would be raring to take the red cherry in hand. The Indian pace attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, who had made his Test debut in South Africa in 2018. Back then, many saw Bumrah as a white-ball specialist. However, the pacer shattered the stereotypes and emerged as a force to reckon with in the purest format as well.

Jasprit Bumrah has created problems for batters with pace and guile: Zaheer Khan

Hence, expectations are sky-high from the right-arm pacer. Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan is among the many to back Bumrah. Calling the speedster a ‘truly world-class pacer,’ the veteran said Bumrah would enjoy bowling in the rainbow nation. “We have got Jasprit Bumrah, who is truly world-class and has created problems for batters with pace and guile,” Zaheer told Hindustan Times.

Zaheer also said India’s bowling line-up is good enough to take 20 wickets in all three Test matches. The 2011 ODI World Cup winner also backed Ishant Sharna and Mohammed Shami to make a mark.

“They are certainly good enough to take 20 wickets in each Test. They have been performing consistently all over the world. It is a good, balanced attack. The best part is that we have enough variety within the fast-bowling pack,” he asserted.

“We have a tall bowler like Ishant Sharma to extract extra bounce from awkward lengths and someone like Mohammed Shami with his prominent seam position who can move the ball both ways off the deck,” added Zaheer. Besides the frontline pacers, Zaheer also said India aren’t short of options as far as quality fast bowlers are concerned.