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Jasprit Bumrah was snubbed as legendary West Indies pacer Andy Roberts stated that according to him, Mohammed Shami was India’s best bowler. He added that Mohammed Siraj has a lot to learn before he enters the big league.

Roberts’ remarks coincide with the uncertainty around Shami’s availability for the remaining Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches. Since last November’s ODI World Cup, the 64-Test veteran has not represented India. In the WTC final in June of last year, he faced Australia in his final Test match as well.

In the one Ranji trophy match and T20s he has played, Shami has looked excellent for Bengal after a protracted injury layoff.

After taking eight wickets at a 7.67 economy in seven games and helping lead Bengal to the knockout stages, Shami used both bat and ball to win the match against Chandigarh and advance them to the quarterfinals. Shami scored an invaluable 17-ball-32 and bowled 13 dot balls in his four overs.

Jasprit Bumrah might get more wickets, but Mohammed Shami India’s best bowler: Andy Roberts

Roberts, a fearsome member of the famous West Indies pace quartet – Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Colin Croft – that terrorized batters all over the world in the 1970s and 1980s, said Jasprit Bumrah may have more wickets, but Shami is the complete package with more control and the ability to seam and swing the ball both ways.

Roberts, who has 202 wickets in 47 Tests at an average of 25.61, believes Mohammed Siraj, India’s second-best seamer after Bumrah in Australia, is nothing near Shami’s level.

“Shami has been India’s best bowler for a while. He may not get the amount of wickets Jasprit Bumrah gets, but he’s the full package and is more consistent than the rest. Shami swings the ball, Shami seams the ball and Shami’s control is as good as Bumrah’s. Shami should play. Mohd Siraj is nowhere near Shami,” Roberts told Mid-day.

Virat Kohli needs to focus on Test cricket: Andy Roberts

He also stated that India batter Virat Kohli needs to focus more on Test cricket at this stage of his career. Roberts stated that Indian batting must come good in Brisbane if the visitors wanted to win the Test.

“I don’t know if there will be a revival after the Adelaide defeat, but get your batting right. One of your best batsmen of all-time has been struggling for the last five years.

Kohli needs to be focused on the longer version of the game. You will get runs and score heavily in Test cricket only when you are fully focused on the longer form. The standard of Test cricket is not the same. The top batsmen look as if they are struggling,” Roberts added.

Not everyone will agree with Roberts’ post-Adelaide assessment, but he has some experience bowling on Australian wickets. Australia grabbed 39 of his 130 Test wickets from 29 overseas Tests in five countries.

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