Dubai [UAE], October 8 (ANI): Former India pacer Rishi Dhawan has backed Jasprit Bumrah as the best fast bowler in international cricket at present, highlighting the speedster's ability to adapt across formats and consistently deliver at the highest level.
"Jasprit Bumrah, because if you see, his performance in every format remains consistently top-notch. He changes and adapts himself exceptionally well, and his performances are always at the highest level. When he is in the side, we don't have to worry about anything--knowing Jasprit still has two overs left gives the confidence that we can comfortably win the match," Rishi Dhawan told ANI.
The 36-year-old praised Bumrah's adaptability and work ethic, pointing to his variations in T20 cricket and his ability to swing the ball both ways in Tests.
"He (Bumrah) adapts really well and has put in immense work into his craft. If you look at T20s, his variations are remarkable; and when he plays Test matches, he swings the ball both ways while hitting great areas consistently. Because of this, I consider him a complete bowler," he added.
Dhawan also backed the return of experienced pacer Mohammed Shami to the Indian setup, following Bhuvneshwar Kumar's comeback in the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
"Yes, absolutely. In whatever domestic cricket he is playing, he is putting in immense hard work. We can see that he is playing full seasons--it's not like he plays one match and rests the next. He is playing complete seasons and delivering strong performances. Hopefully, the selectors will recognise the need for an experienced, fit fast bowler like him. We would definitely love to see him back in the Indian team," he said.
Bhuvneshwar earned a Team India call-up after four years as the squad for the five T20Is against New Zealand was announced on Tuesday. The New Zealand tour starts with five T20Is from October 22 onwards, with five ODIs and two Test matches to follow.
Bhuvneshwar, if he gets a chance to play, could play his first international game for India since the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal against England at Adelaide. Since then, Bhuvneshwar has had a resurgence with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with his 45 wickets in 31 matches at an average of 22.55 and an economy rate of 8.52 helping the franchise to back-to-back titles in 2025 and 2026.
Rishi Dhawan also emphasised the importance of experience in India's fast-bowling unit, with Shami continuing to work his way back into contention through domestic cricket.
With Bumrah continuing to spearhead India's pace attack, Dhawan believes the return of experienced campaigners such as Shami could further strengthen the team's bowling resources across formats.
Shami last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final and has not featured in a Test match since the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Despite being out of the national setup, the experienced pacer has continued to feature in domestic and first-class cricket, working towards earning another recall to the Indian team.
"Yes, absolutely. In whatever domestic cricket he (Shami) is playing, he is putting in immense hard work. We can see that he is playing full seasons--it's not like he plays one match and rests the next. He is playing complete seasons and delivering strong performances. Hopefully, the selectors will recognise the need for an experienced, fit fast bowler like him. We would definitely love to see him back in the Indian team," the 36-year-old said. (ANI)
Rishi Dhawan hails Bumrah's all-format brilliance, backs experienced Shami for India return
