WI legendary pacer Curtly Ambrose is a huge fan of this Indian star

Curtly Ambrose (Pic: File Pic)

Legendary West Indies pacer Curtly Ambrose is a huge fan of lead Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Despite suffering a stress fracture in the past, Ambrose feels that Bumrah should not change anything in his unorthodox bowling action as he feels every fast bowler takes the field with a risk of getting injured.

Jasprit Bumrah is the best fast bowler of the modern-day cricket across formats. After undergoing surgery with his back problems, the pacer made a return to the game during the ODI World Cup 2023.

The Indian speedster can pick a wicket in the T20 format at any stage of the game and also has the ability to bowl with the new ball as well as with the old ball in the longest format of the game.

In a telephonic interview with PTI, Ambrose said Bumrah should not change a thing unless he sustains a serious injury. "What I can tell you something about Jasprit Bumrah, I'm a big fan. Right from ever since I saw him the first time. He's so unconventional but highly effective. And that's what I like about him. When you look at traditional fast bowlers, you wouldn't look at Bumrah, he's so unorthodox.

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"He has done a great job for India and still doing a great job in all formats. I met him a couple of years ago when India played in Antigua. He's someone I've always enjoyed watching because he's so different," said Ambrose who is involved with promoting the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 here.

Bumrah's open-chested action does put pressure on his back but Ambrose believes every fast bowler has to deal with risks like that.

"From my little experience, there are no two bowlers who are exactly alike. Bowlers may have similarities but they are never exactly alike and we all have our different styles everyone is different.

"In terms of his longevity, in terms of injuries, (for) every fast bowler, there is always risk of being injured. But at the same time you can't go out there thinking that way.

"You've got to go out there and do the job to the best of your ability and whatever happens, happens. The only way he should change is if he, may be, sustains a serious injury or has to re-model his action or something," said the 60-year-old who played 98 Tests for the West Indies taking 405 wickets.

Curtly Ambrose in his playing days was known to trouble the best batsmen in the world due to the extra bounce he used to create with his 6"7' height. The former West Indian pacer thinks that the stress on Jasprit Bumrah's back is not only because of his actions.

"I've never been through it (stress fracture). So it would be unfair for me to even try to say what to do. I will leave that for the medical expert. I don't think Bumrah's stress comes totally from his action.

"You can look at Ian Bishop, he had a perfect action and he also had stress fracture," reasoned the cricketer from Antigua.

The international calendar is busier than ever dur to various T20 leagues taking place in the world. Ambrose feels that the game has changed drastcally and too much cricket can have a harmful impact.

"The game has become a bit more commercialised. Too much cricket is being played as well. Players are leaving from one series to the next, there is franchise cricket as well. Guys could get burnt out.

"It's still exciting, there are wonderful players around but too much cricket is being played and that to me would be a bit of a concern," said Ambrose.

The fearsome pacer from Antigua played plenty of limited-overs cricket but for him, Test cricket is the only format that produces legends.

"I've always preferred Test match cricket over anything else. I've played ODIs, I've played four-day cricket, but for me it isn't international cricket. Test match cricket for me is a real cricket.

"I believe at the end of a career, if you've been judged, if you want to become a legend, you have to play Test cricket. You would not become a legend playing ODIs or T20s. There is talk about Tests dying, I don't really think so.

"...the powers that be, need to do something to make Test match cricket a little more attractive and we're going to be okay. But Test match cricket is not going anywhere," he asserted.

Curtly Ambrose in the 1990s was at his peak and enjoyed the battles against legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar. In modern-day cricket, he would like to test himself against Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Babar Azam and Kane Williamson.

"When I played, I thrived on challenges. In every team, there were at least a handful of great batsmen. And you know, with a reputation as well. So for me, they tend to bring the best out of me when I play.

"To dismiss them, gives me more pleasure than dismissing numbers 9, 10, 11. You talk about these guys, they are great players (Kohli and Co). It would be nice to play against them but having said that, I've played against some greats in my time as well," he said.

In the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, Curtly Ambrose is happy to see teams like the USA and Afghanistan surprising big teams of the game.

"Well, prior to the start of the World Cup, I predicted some upsets and so far we've seen a few. So, I am quite happy for that, it makes the tournament more interesting as opposed to all of the big teams just running away," added Ambrose.

(With PTI Inputs)