Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has once again found himself in a storm with allegations of suspicious bowling making headlines ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, starting December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.
Veteran Australian sports commentator Ian Morris has sparked controversy by blaming “political correctness” for cricket's failure to analyze Jasprit Bumrah's unique bowling style. Morris also accused the Australian media of ignoring the Indian player's actions, claiming that they were not “put under the microscope”.
Jasprit Bumrah faces bowling controversy ahead of the Boxing Day Test
However, Bumrah has been left to his recent performances in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between India and Australia. With 21 wickets in six innings at an astonishing average of 10.90, including two stunning five-wicket innings, the Indian spearhead left the Australian batting line-up in tatters, topping the bowling chart.
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Well, the controversy surrounding Bumrah's antics is nothing new, but his ability to swing the ball both ways with a short run has raised a lot of eyebrows and reignited the controversy. Many have added fuel to the fire by calling for a deeper investigation into India's bowling after his stunning performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
On Monday, December 23, Ian Morris raised his concerns about Jasprit Bumrah's bowling match on social media. He wondered why no one had examined Bumrah's birth in detail, and suggested analyzing the position of his arm at the point of birth.
Why did no one question the extradition of Indian paceman Bumrah?
Ian Morris posted on They put that under the microscope a few years ago.
Furthermore, Australian sports commentators have suggested that cricket authorities are reluctant to analyze Bumrah's bowling match due to fear of accusations of racism. He further clarified that he was not accusing Bumrah of throwing the ball but simply wanted to conduct a deep analysis of his actions.
“I hope you people who want to jump down my throat will bother to read what I wrote,” Morris added. I said: “I am not saying that he throws… but his actions should be analysed… that is all!”
I hope people who want to jump down my throat will bother to read what I wrote. I said, “I'm not saying he throws… but his actions should be analysed… that's all!
– Ian Maurice (@ian_maurice) December 23, 2024
Please stop this nonsense of questioning Jasprit Bumrah's actions: Greg Chappell
However, former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell recently criticized fans for questioning Jasprit Bumrah's bowling performance. Chappell praised Bumrah for his impressive performance in the ongoing Test series.
He strongly defended Bumrah's unique bowling, stating that it was clean and should not be doubted, as such questions undermine both the player and the game.
“India's bowlers, led by hitman Jasprit Bumrah, looked sharper and more menacing,” Greg Chappell wrote in a column for the Sydney Morning Herald. “And by the way, please stop this nonsense of questioning Bumrah's actions. She is one of a kind, but immaculately clean.” It is unequivocally disparaging to the champion of the performance and the game to even bring it up.