Facing Jasprit Bumrah is one of cricket’s toughest challenges today. His action, release point, speed variations and late movement make him feel almost like a one-of-a-kind species. No amount of footage or data seems to fully prepare batters for him. To understand what truly makes Bumrah so difficult, we asked two players who have handled him better than most: Kane Williamson and Dean Elgar.
What makes Bumrah so uniquely difficult?
Kane Williamson:
“Facing Bumrah always feels like proper Test cricket, even in white-ball matches. I remember the 2023 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai. For almost forty minutes, he swung the ball both ways late. It felt like pure survival.
He moves the ball both ways with accuracy, and because his run-up is so gentle, the pace he generates is deceptive for New Zealand. He rarely misses and stays calm throughout. That level of discipline means you’re always in a real fight.”
Dean Elgar:
“He bowls with an intensity few others match. Every ball feels like an event. There are no freebies. It’s constant pressure.”
Which spells show the Bumrah challenge best?
Williamson:
“The WTC final in 2021 stands out. That first session on day five was one of the most intense periods of my career. I scored only seven runs in the entire session. He was relentless, hitting the seam, moving the ball, never giving anything away.
If there’s even a hint of swing or seam, he’ll exploit it.”
Elgar:
“In the 2018 Johannesburg Test, the pitch was brutal. Balls were kicking off a length. Bumrah hit me everywhere—including one on the helmet. That was my first time facing him, and honestly, it was one of the best spells I’ve ever encountered.
Since then, across two more series in South Africa, the challenge only got tougher.”
How does Bumrah attack in helpful conditions?
Williamson:
“He attacks the stumps, moves the ball both ways, and forces you to defend perfectly. You know good balls are coming, so it becomes about damage control.
Against him, you prepare to miss. And even when you’re in your best position, it still might not be enough.”
What is the defensive mindset needed against Bumrah?
Elgar:
“My method was simple: defend well, leave well. If I could do that, I knew I had a chance. Because if you make him frustrated, he might give you something. But you must be locked in for every ball.
He’s so accurate that the margin for error is tiny. He doesn’t bowl many cut-shot balls. Everything is high pace, high accuracy.”
Williamson:
“He probably bowls more ‘unplayable’ balls than anyone else. You trust your defence, but you also accept that even your best might not survive.”
What makes Bumrah world-class across all formats?
Williamson:
“He’s the best bowler in the world across formats. His slower ball is elite. His yorkers are unbelievably consistent. And when he has a new ball, he becomes an entirely different challenge.
What makes him special is how he jogs to the crease yet fires balls at 140-plus. His deception and versatility are incredible.”
Elgar:
“He’s almost two different bowlers from over and around the wicket.
From over the wicket, you can judge the ball coming in or going away. But from around the wicket as a left-hander, he can bring it in or swing it away. That forces you to play balls you normally shouldn’t.”
How do batters read Bumrah’s hand?
Elgar:
“Reading the seam helps, but his wrist positions are so subtle. His arm speed is lightning quick. You have to watch him harder than most bowlers.
If the seam points towards slips, it’s leaving. If it points at the stumps, it’s coming in. But reacting in time is the real battle.”
Williamson:
“Reading his hand for the slower ball is almost impossible because his arm speed never changes.
He releases the ball slightly in front of his body, so it reaches you quicker. With less time and sideways movement, it becomes a nightmare.”
Is Bumrah skiddy or hit-the-deck?
Williamson:
“More skiddy, but heavy. His ball hits the pitch and climbs at you. Even decent defence can produce edges.”
Elgar:
“I played him like a hit-the-deck bowler. But he’s unique because he can swing it too.
New ball: fuller, lots of shape. Older ball: shorter, harder into the pitch.”
Does Bumrah get into a batter’s head?
Elgar:
“You fight the name first. He’s a huge threat. You can’t pretend he doesn’t get into your head—he does. But I also felt I challenged him mentally in our late battles. In the 2023–24 series, when I was close to retirement, I felt completely free. Those were my best duels against him.
There’s simply no release against Bumrah. No easy way out.”
