Swashbuckling Australian opener David Warner says he was surprised by the yorkers and bouncers of India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the ODI series-opener here.
Warner, who remained unbeaten on 128 in his team’s 10-wicket win against India at the Wankhede Stadium, negated Bumrah’s challenge well on January 14.
Skipper Aaron Finch also hit a blazing hundred (110 not out) as the Australians romped home with plenty to spare.
Asked how he prepares for bowlers like Bumrah and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, Warner, one of the best left-handers in the world, said it was all about keeping still.
“It’s about being nice and still. I can’t imagine someone like Brett Lee running in from almost the boundary and just sort of staggering in there and all of a sudden bowl 150kmph, it takes a while to get used to and that’s great skill from Bumrah.
India's Jasprit Bumrah bowls a delivery during the first one day international (ODI) cricket match against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020.
“His (Bumrah’s) bouncers surprise you, his yorkers surprise you and then when he bowls the change-up it’s very, very difficult, it’s like when Lasith Malinga at his prime, he bowled 140kmph and swung them.
”... But you knew you were going to get a yorker or a bouncer but it was how are you going to play that and that’s what’s so unique,” added Warner.
Saying that he finds Kuldeep’s bowling a fraction slower, he admitted that picking chinaman bowlers was difficult.
“And with Kuldeep (Yadav), he’s got great change-ups as well. I find that he’s bowling a fraction slower these days, quite different to Rashid Khan who bowls at 100kmph, under lights I think left-arm chinamans are very difficult to pick,” he added.
Both Bumrah and Kuldeep had an off day at the Wankhede and would be raring to go when the two teams face off each other at Rajkot.
