The man with the golden arm: Is Bumrah India's greatest-ever fast bowler?

TWO TOP ICC AWARDS IN THE BAG, IT'S A JUST RECOGNITION FOR THE SMILING ASSASSIN

- GAUTAM BHATTACHARYYA

Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to forget the last two days. On Tuesday evening, the Indian pace spearhead was announced the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy – the topmost honour for being the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2024 – an icing on the cake after being chosen the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year earlier on Monday.

He now joins an elite club of three other Indian cricketers: Virat Kohli (2018), Ravi Ashwin (2016) and Rahul Dravid (2004) to have won both the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award in the same year.

Much expected, as an Indian cricket fan may say, with him hardly putting a foot wrong for the whole of last year. It’s also the right moment to rake up a contentious debate - whether ‘Boom Boom’ is the greatest ever fast bowler from India?