Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has termed the incomparable Jasprit Bumrah the greatest all-format fast bowler after his Player-of-the-Series performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Bumrah produced one of the best-ever bowling performances by an overseas pacer in Australia and picked up 32 wickets over five Tests.

“The thing I’ve thought about Bumrah, after the series finished and I was sitting and thinking about his performances, I actually think he’s the best fast bowler ever across all three formats,” Clarke told ESPN.

“I know a lot of great fast bowlers, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, didn’t get to play T20 cricket, so I’m not talking about those guys. But in regards to anyone who has played all three formats, I think he might be the best ever.

“He’s actually that good in any conditions, that’s what makes him great; any conditions, any format, this guy’s a freak.”

The former Australia captain believed that India could have won the series-deciding Sydney Test had Bumrah bowled in Australia’s second innings and some more runs under their belt.

Bumrah had suffered an injury on the second day of the match at SCG and was immediately taken to the hospital for a scan.

The Indian pace spearhead returned to bat the following morning but he did not bowl in Australia’s second innings because of a back spasm as the hosts successfully chased down a target of 162 with six wickets in hand to win the series 3-1.

“I reckon India were probably 20 runs short (in Sydney),” Clarke said.

“I reckon a 180 lead, with Bumrah in the team, I think India are home. I think Bumrah is that good… he’s so much better than the other bowlers they had in the team.”

Bumrah was in a league of his own as his 32 wickets came at an incredible average of 13.06 and a strike rate of 28.3.

Mohammed Siraj was the next highest wicket-taker among Indian pacers with 20 scalps at 31.15.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins rates Virat Kohli as a great competitor who makes the game lively with his theatrics and he will be “sad” if the latest Border-Gavaskar trophy does end up being the Indian superstar’s last tour Down Under.

Following the hundred in the series opener in Perth, Kohli’s troubles outside the off-stump compounded as he was caught in the slip cordon eight times over the course of five Tests.

The tour that got over on Sunday is likely to be Kohli’s last.

“It’s always been a a wonderful contest. More than just the runs that he scored, he brings a bit of theatre to the game which is sometimes good and sometimes it can rile you up as an opposition, which I’m sure is part of his plans,” Cummins said in a response to a PTI query after the six wicket win in Sydney.

“Really enjoyed playing with him. He’s been one of the the star batters for the last decade or so. If you get his wicket it goes a long way to winning a game. So yeah, it will be sad if it’s his last series.”

Cummins did admit that Bumrah’s absence on the final day of the series did help them, considering he took 32 wickets in the series.

“Every time he (Bumrah) bowled he seemed to have an impact and took some key wickets. So yeah, no doubt that (his absence) helped our chase a little bit.”

Although he termed it as Indian team’s internal matter, Cummins was a touch surprised with Rohit Sharma’s decision to drop himself from the playing eleven on account of poor form.

“I think you’re always surprised when the captain kind of doesn’t play. And you know, same with Ashwin retiring, but honestly it doesn’t really affect us at all.

“You just turn up and you see who’s going to be on the team sheet and you play whoever eleven they put out there. Honestly, it’s been very little conversation I’ve chatted with him about what’s going on there,” Cummins said.

He termed the win against India as “huge” in the context of the Indo-Australia bilaterals, having lost twice at home previously.

“No, it’s a huge win in the context of this series. It’s as big a series as you get to play at home. It felt like it was kind of see-sawing throughout the whole series. So to finish it 3-1 to hold the trophy is an amazing feeling,” Cummins said.

“…… and I think the extra layer is now securing a spot in the World Test Championship Final which was always a huge goal for us in this cycle.”

He has been a part of T20 World Cup winning squad, won the 50-over World Cup, World Test Championship mace and Ashes as the skipper and now the India series that his predecessor Tim Paine had lost twice.

When he was asked if he has any succession plan in place, he sidestepped the issue.

“First of all I just absolutely love what I do. So, I mean that’s probably the biggest driver in wanting to play Test Cricket and work with this team and support staff.”

So does he feel that he has done it all?

“Unfortunately, I have got to keep playing. We’ll stay on this side guys and then we’ll come over here,” he smiled.

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar on Sunday urged Indian batters to play in the Ranji Trophy without offering any excuses to iron out technical deficiencies that led to their peril in two successive series against New Zealand and Australia.

Gavaskar said it was worrying to see the Indian batters churning out underwhelming efforts against New Zealand at home and in the just-concluded series against Australia Down Under.

India succumbed to the Kiwis 0-3 before surrendering to the Aussies 1-3.

“On January 23, there is the next round of the Ranji Trophy. Let’s see how many players from this squad play. There should be no excuse for not being able to play,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

“If you do not play those matches, Gautam Gambhir will have to take a few tough decisions against those who are not available for the Ranji Trophy,” he added.

“Gambhir should be saying: ‘you do not have that commitment. We need commitment. You are not playing. Whatever you want to do, do it. But for Indian cricket, you cannot return to the Test squad.”

Gavaskar said flaws have crept into Indian batsmen’s approach because of not playing domestic cricket on available opportunities.

“What I saw were technical deficiencies. If you have been making the same mistakes, and I am not just talking about this series. I am talking about the New Zealand series as well that did you do against New Zealand in India?”

Gavaskar said domestic cricket assumes importance in view of the upcoming 2025-2027 WTC cycle.

“And that’s why, now, because the next cycle will start in June, we have not qualified for the World Test Championship. From now on, we should be ready for it. If we have to take tough decisions, then we will have to take them,” he said.

With the next WTC cycle in focus, Gavaskar said India should now focus more on young cricketers such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

“They are hungry to earn a name for India and themselves. Such players are needed. You need such players who will protect their wicket like their life,” he noted.

“That’s why I’m interested that on January 23, in the Ranji Trophy matches, who will play? I want to see that.”

“Because at that time, there will be T20 matches against England. But those who are not playing T20, will they play Ranji Trophy matches or not?” he said.