Debasis Sen, Antigua: Former West Indies legend Sir Andy Roberts feel Jasprit Bumrah is a freak and has no rhythm at all. The 68 year old pacer, part of that famous West Indies pace quartet is a bit amused to watch Bumrah, who on Sunday achieved the milestone of claiming the fastest 50 test wickets in just 11 test matches. Seated in Sir Vivian Richards’s box at the North Stand, Roberts said, “He (Bumrah) has no rhythm. I think a lot of batsmen adjust them to the rhythm of the bowlers but that is not the case with Bumrah. There is no rhythm when Bumrah bowls. He just walks up, walks up, walks up and bum, suddenly he is on you. And he has this straight arm. Everything about him is straight arm and there is no bending of his left or right arm. So it is difficult for you to focus as a batsman.”

The former West Indies legend went on to say, “Bumrah is a freak. The way he just walks in and throws the ball proves all this book theory about fast bowlers needing to have a classical action doesn’t really work.”

Bumrah bowled a terrific spell of bowling to guide India to an emphatic victory in the first test over West Indies at Sir Viv Richards’s stadium on Sunday. His spell read as 8-4-7-5.

Roberts though heaped loads of praises on the Indian bowling. According to the West Indian legend, “Indian bowling has changed over the last five six years. They are no longer relying on spin. They have some decent fast bowlers and I think they are utilizing their services. That should have happened fifteen twenty years ago. They should have realized that if you are to dominate world cricket, you could not do so with spin bowling. You could be successful at your own backward but when you are travelling abroad you need good fast bowlers.”

The 68 year old fast bowler was livid with the concussion rule in cricket. “Everything about cricket centers around batsmen. Why do you have a concussion rule and not a torn muscle, sprain back or broken finger rule. Why it has to be concussion? Who is the easiest person to get a concussion on a cricket field? It’s the batsman. Bowlers hardly get concussion. I think the bowlers should also be allowed to be replaced as a batsman,” said Roberts.

To watch the full interview of Sir Andy Roberts, click on the link below:

https://youtu.be/nORytz9rdgM

Exclusive: Bumrah has no rhythm, says Andy Roberts