Who can stop Steve Smith? ‘Jasprit Bumrah 100%,’ says former England pacer

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85, 142, 144, 92 and 211 – Steve Smith’s last 5 scores in the ongoing Ashes have given rise to a burning question ‘how to get Smith out?’ The England bowlers sure haven’t found an answer to that. But according to former England fast bowler Darren Gough there is one bowler who can get Smith out with 100% surety.

Gough said India’s spearhead Jasprit Bumrah can be the answer to Steve Smith. Replying to a social media query ‘Steve Smith is batting, and you need to stop him. Which bowler would you bring on?’ put up by ESPNCricinfo, Gough took Bumrah’s name.

The social media post had the options of James Anderson, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Jofra Archer, Ravindra Jadeja, Yasir Shah and Rangana Herath. “Buramh 100%” Gough commented on that post.

Smith’ 211 was the centrepiece of Australia’s 497/8 declared on the second day of the fourth Test.

It was his third century in four innings this series following scores of 144 and 142 in the opener at Edgbaston — Smith’s first Test since completing a 12-month ball-tampering ban.

If those hundreds erased doubts about whether he would be the same stellar batsman after the traumatic events during a Test in Cape Town that led to his being stripped of the Australia captaincy and a lengthy suspension, Thursday’s innings put to rest fears of any lingering ill-effects after he was concussed by a Jofra Archer bouncer.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah too has been in terrific form with the ball. After picking up five wickets in the first Test against West Indies, Bumrah became the third Indian to register a hat-trick in the second Test match. The Indian seamer returned with a six-for. Bumrah also became the only Asian bowler to claim five wicket hauls in all the countries he has toured so far.