Bumrah generating pace with short run-up still amazes me: Bishop

Former West Indies fast-bowler Ian Bishop has heaped praise on India speedster Jasprit Bumrah and referred to him as ...

Former West Indies fast-bowler Ian Bishop has heaped praise on India speedster Jasprit Bumrah and referred to him as a 'generational talent'.

Bishop feels Bumrah is a completely different fast-bowler with respect to yesteryear superstars. According to Bishop, Bumrah's ability to generate rapid pace despite having a short-up is completely different to that of former speedsters who ruled the roost during his era.

Bumrah has been leading India's bowling attack for a while now and was the No.1 ranked ODI bowler in the world for a considerable amount of time before injury stalled his progress a bit.

"I grew up on the history of the game and coming through, I had this whole concept of a fast bowler as someone with a long flowing run; someone like Wes Hall, Sir Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, the Marshalls, the Holdings, so on and so forth. And Jasprit is exactly the opposite: it is a stuttering, short run," Bishop told Cricbuzz.

"Until today, I'm amazed as to where the pace comes from. And he has got a serious skill set. The way he swung the ball in the Caribbean, for example, and the way he can up his pace and still apply control to it.

"And then when I hear him speak about the game and break the game down, there I see a generational talent. Once he can stay fit, he is an entire package," he added.

Earlier, another West Indies fast-bowling great Michael Holding had raised concerns regarding Bumrah's fitness, considering his small run-up. Holding had urged Bumrah to take care of his body as he has to put a lot of effort to generate that kind of pace and bounce.

"Jasprit is a little bit quicker, he hits the deck hard. People always talk about bowlers who hit the deck and bowlers who skid the ball off the surface," Holding said on Sony Ten Pit Stop show in a video uploaded on their Facebook page.

"My problem with Bumrah is... and I mentioned it to him the last time I saw him in England... is how long that body is going to hold up with that short run-up and the effort he has to put him in his bowling. It's a human body and not a machine."

( With inputs from IANS )