India vs West Indies | Bumrah the Most Complete Bowler in World Cricket: Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli was all praise for Jasprit Bumrah, calling him the most complete bowler in world cricket.

Bumrah picked up 13 wickets in India’s 2-0 series sweep, including a five-wicket haul and a six-wicket haul.

“Not much you can say about Jasprit the way he has been bowling. All we can say is we’re lucky to have him in our team,” Kohli said in the press conference after winning the second Test in Jamaica. “Very rarely do you find a pack of bowlers who are hunting together. Bowling for each other, in partnerships. Today he had a bit of a niggle but bowled three overs on the spot, did the job for the team even when he was in pain.

“When he gets momentum, you can see what he can do in 5-6 overs with the new ball as he did in the first innings. I’ve not seen more lethal spells than the ones in those two innings. Standing in slips, you can feel for the batsmen who are playing him because he confuses you with angles, swing. He’ll set up for the outswinger and bowl an inswinger, and it’s coming at pace. He can hit you with bouncers as well. So I think he’s probably the most complete bowler in world cricket right now.”

Kohli said the single reason for Bumrah’s incredible success is his mindset, saying he has ‘molded’ his life towards becoming the best bowler in the world.

“It’s the mindset. When you put your mind towards a certain thing, you strive towards it. He definitely wants to be the best bowler in the world. There’s no question about it. He has molded his life like that. He has molded his discipline, work ethic, the way he trains, his diet, bowls as much as he has to. He has absolute control of what he’s doing,” said Kohli. “When he steps onto the field, he knows how much he can contribute. Really pleasing for a guy who was tagged a T20 specialist first. He then came in and took over the one-day scene, now he’s taking over Test cricket. He’s proving people wrong that there’s a set template for each format. If you have belief, you can play all three formats of the game. I totally vouch for that. He has the mindset to excel in all formats and he wants to be the best in the world.”

The find of the series, according to Kohli, was Hanuma Vihari. The middle-order batsman was the highest run-getter of the series with 289 runs, closely followed by Ajinkya Rahane who too got back among runs scoring 271 in four innings.

” I think the find of the series has to be Hanuma Vihari. The way he has batted under pressure especially. On a much more challenging wicket here in Jamaica than in Antigua, his skill sets were outstanding, his temperament and technique were top notch and he countered everything the opposition threw at him. Very very pleased with the way he has come about,” said Kohli.

“Ajinkya Rahane as well, getting back into the runs. One of our top Test players over the years.”

Kohli also hinted that Ravindra Jadeja will continue to be their first-choice spinner overseas.

“It’s the control we can bank on, with Jadeja,” he said. “He’s probably been our most consistent and accurate bowler away from India. There’s a reason why he is constantly playing in the XI. He gives you control even when the wicket is not supportive. As a batsman when you know the ball is pitching in areas where you can get out constantly even when it’s not turning much, he’s always in the game. With the bat, with the ball, and there’s no one better than him in the field. He’s just in a great zone right now. He wants to contribute, he wants the ball, to do the job for the team.”

Kohli, who also gave his thumbs-up to the concept of concussion substitutes in Test cricket, said his Test team is placed well right now and was looking forward to the next challenge in their World Test Championship campaign – the home series against South Africa. Read More