Struggling to Score against Bumrah: AUS Star Opens Up about Battling the IND Pacer

During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Usman Khawaja, a veteran Australian opener, candidly acknowledged his difficulties facing Jasprit Bumrah, India's pace spearhead. Khawaja was one of several Australian batters terrorised by Bumrah during the five-match series, being dismissed by the fast bowler on six separate occasions. Bumrah proved exceptionally effective against Khawaja, preventing the left-handed opener from establishing a comfortable rhythm at the crease with his menacing new ball deliveries.

Khawaja had an underwhelming five-match series and scored just 184 runs at an average of 20.44 and only managed to hit one half-century.

Khawaja opens on his struggles against Bumrah with the new ball and admitted that Australia were relieved to see him not bowling on the third day of the final Test which allowed them to win the series 3-1.

“I was just getting Bumrah-ed. It was a friggin' tough work. It was tough work and people were asking me what was going on? Like I'm just being honest, I'm just getting Bumrah-ed. I have to face this guy with a new ball every single time. You never wanted to see anyone injured, and it's a shame he was (injured), but thank god for us. Today would’ve been an absolute nightmare facing him on that wicket. And you can see how big part of that team he was. As soon as we didn’t see him out there we thought ‘alright, we’ve got a chance here’,” Khawaja told ABC Sport.

The 31-year-old Bumrah finished as the leading wicket-taker with an incredible tally of 32 scalps, though India lost the series 1-3 after the six-wicket defeat in the fifth Test at the SCG. He was named Player of the Series for his exploits.

‘Jasprit Bumrah toughest bowler I’ve ever faced’: Usman Khawaja

Khawaja further rated Bumrah as the toughest bowler he has faced and said he just didn't feel like scoring runs against him during the five-match series.

"He’s the toughest bowler I’ve ever faced and I've faced him in 2018 and I think he got me out once and he was a very good bowler, but he's been something else this year, it looked like he's just got his tail up. He is six years more mature. He is a better bowler. He understands his skills, He understands who he is bowling to, he has different plans for everyone. I always feel like no matter how good a bowler is, they'll give me something to score off. I just never felt like I could score off him. I just felt so hard. It's easy to say it now because I probably won't have to face him again, thank God," he added.

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