Jasprit Bumrah in a league of his own as Trent Copeland declares pacemen best ever seen on Australian shores

He is already considered the best paceman to tour our shores, but fast bowling expert Trent Copeland can’t remember anyone bowling better in Australia — including Australians. Bumrah is within reach of a 100-year-old record for the most wickets by a touring bowler in a single series against Australia. He needs 10 wickets of the 21 remaining for India to take, to pass Maurice Tate’s 38 from the 1924-1925 Ashes series. On Sunday, he caused more carnage with a complete wipeout of Australia’s middle order. Travis Head, Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey all fell in two hours of madness where India went from chasing the game, to being in front of it. He took 4-54 from 26 overs, bowled between 10 handpicked spells. The wicket of Head was also his 200th in Test cricket. No bowler has taken that many wickets with a better average than Bumrah’s 19.52. Copeland, a former Test quick and a Channel 7 analyst, said the “special” form Bumrah is in is the best he has seen anyone bowl. “I don’t think I have seen a bowler bowl this well, Australia or a touring team bowler,” he told The West Australian. “200 wickets at under 20 (average) is a ridiculous strike rate. I don’t know if you’d be able to speak highly enough of him and what he has been achieving. “I’m obviously a bias nerdy bowler watching on in awe. It’s special.” The stats back that up, too. Only Rodney Hogg, Pat Cummins twice and Mitchell Starc have taken more wickets than Tate and Bumrah is still a chance to take the most wickets ever in a series here. Bumrah had a stranglehold over Australia’s No.3 Marnus Labuschagne until he returned to form with scores of 72 and 70 in Melbourne. He faced more balls in the second innings than any of his teammates. That included a period where he refused singles against Bumrah to help captain Pat Cummins get into his innings. Their partnership kickstarted Australia’s fightback late on day four. “He just is relentless. He bowls a relentless length with that perpendicular angle, that action and he is tough to navigate,” Labuschagne said. “It is difficult to start your innings, so finding a way to navigate through his spells is important, it is clearly something we have got better at as the Test series has gone on. “He has been very good this series.”