Tim Southee, the New Zealand Test captain, has hailed Jasprit Bumrah as the world’s best all-format bowler, echoing the sentiments of Australian legend Ricky Ponting. Bumrah’s remarkable return from an 11-month injury layoff has seen him excel in all three formats, earning him the Player of the Tournament award at the T20 World Cup.
Southee praised Bumrah’s ability to juggle multiple formats with ease, saying, “He’s probably more experienced, understands his game a bit more… I think we’ve just seen a great version of Jasprit Bumrah across all three formats.”
Southee also acknowledged the challenges of playing in subcontinental conditions, where spin plays a significant role. He indicated that he may not play every Test match in India and Sri Lanka, but emphasized his desire to feature in as many as possible.
“I love Test cricket, but I understand there is a balance to the side… We have got nine Test matches in the next few months so there is a lot of Test cricket. So it is all about managing workloads,” Southee said.
Regarding the impact of T20 leagues on player availability for international cricket, Southee expressed uncertainty. He noted that New Zealand Cricket’s decision to allow Devon Conway and Finn Allen to decline central contracts while remaining available for most Test matches was a step in the right direction.
“It would be nice to see the international and the leagues working together in some way because especially Test cricket, I think a lot of players, it’s still the pinnacle of the format,” Southee said.
