Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah has been sensationally accused of quitting after overtaking the Australian top spot in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.
The Australians were left in tatters at 8-70 at the start of the second day of the Perth Test, largely due to Bumrah’s five-wicket haul and blitz through the top order at the Optus Stadium.
Now Australian cricket fans have called for an investigation into the bowler’s action after he produced a devastating swing in both directions in a short run.
Australian middle-order batsman Travis Head first ignited the debate ahead of the first Test during an interview.
‘Five years from now, no one will remember Bumrah. “He will be remembered as the guy who used to bowl illegally,” he said.
Head was not one of the victims of Bumrah, launched by Harshit Rana.
Bumrah celebrates Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s key wicket in the first Test
Australian batting champion Steve Smith fell to a first-ball duck off Bumrah in a devastating spell of bowling.
But Usman Khawaja (8), debutant Nathan McSweeney (10), Steve Smith (golden duck), Alex Carey (21) and captain Pat Cummins (3) fell to their devastating bowling.
While many credited Bumrah’s unplayable deliveries and quality bowling for ruining the Australian premiership, others accused him of bending his arm and bowling the ball to achieve colossal amounts of swing.
‘I think he throws it away. I’ve always done it. With his career it would be almost impossible to play at the pace he does without throwing it and his arm is not even close to being straight,” one posted.
‘He definitely throws it away. “This morning I saw several slow motion shots and it was like an old school bowler,” added another.
“If Jasprit Bumrah came from another country, his bowling action would have been suspended by the ICC,” fumed another.
Others suggested that while he was not breaking any of the laws of cricket, he was pushing them to the limit.
‘Because, just as Jasprit Bumrah bowled yesterday, there is still an elephant in the room: his action remains horribly suspicious. As with any rule, there is always a degree of tolerance, but you would have to be tough to oppose it,” one posted.
While others said it was just sour grapes from Australian cricket fans devastated to see their batsmen humiliated on home soil.
Australian cricket fans accused the Indian captain of an illegal action that led to a flurry of wickets in the first Test.
“Those who think Bumrah chucks should stop watching cricket because they clearly don’t understand the biomechanics and actions of bowling,” added a cricket fan.
Former Australian opener David Warner offered an insight into why it is so difficult to face the Indian captain.
‘Bumrah’s key challenge is getting used to his action. If you haven’t faced it before, it can be quite a challenge,” Warner said.
You have to try to get used to the stutter at the crease. And then unleash some lightning bolts. He always gets the line and length right. You can turn them both ways.
‘I think the good thing about him is that he has two different gears. He can throw it when the ball is new and then he can go the other length.’
Former England international and renowned bowling coach Ian Pont earlier defended Bumrah’s action in 2022 and said she looked uncomfortable due to her hypermobility in her elbow joint.
‘You can see his arm straight from wrist to elbow. The rule is that when the elbow is above vertical it should not be bent more than 15 degrees,” he said.
‘You can clearly see the forward flexion of his arm, which is a hyperextension. This is allowed (a forward bend) for people with hypermobile joints.
‘A hyperextension is a movement in the direction similar to the direction of the movement, not downward or to the side. That is why Bumrah’s action is classified as legal, since it is within the guidelines of hypermobility.’
Paul Felton, senior lecturer in biomechanics at Nottingham Trent University, has worked with numerous cricket coaches and explained in more detail how hypermobility was an advantage, but a legal one.
“His hypermobility also provides other advantages because he is able to maintain alignment throughout his bowling action, which reduces variability in his line and length control,” he said.
‘So, his hypermobility makes him unique. Which is capable of maximizing speed by accessing more optimal movement patterns, which increases control and provides a lower risk of injury.