Jasprit Bumrah is toughest to face, hope we don't see him in SA20: Former South Africa captain

Published - 12 Nov 2025, 19:03 IST | Updated - 12 Nov 2025, 19:55 IST

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis named Jasprit Bumrah as the toughest bowler he has faced. He humorously added that he hopes the ace Indian speedster won't be in action in the SA20, South Africa's domestic franchise league, in the future.

Bumrah has established himself as one of the best all-format bowlers in modern-day cricket, especially after blowing away opposition sides over the years, with his relentless consistency. Like most fast bowlers, Bumrah has sustained several injuries during his career. However, none of them has been able to deter his spirit as he continues to build his legacy series after series.

During his illustrious career, du Plessis has had several encounters with Bumrah, both in international cricket as well as in the Indian Premier League. From the intense on-field meetings, the Delhi Capitals' batter has developed admiration for his Mumbai Indians' counterpart.

“Bumrah is the toughest bowler in the world to face. Hope we don’t see him in SA20," Joburg Super Kings’ skipper du Plessis said while speaking at the SA20 India Day event in Mumbai.

Bumrah is set to be in action during the two-match Test series against South Africa, starting with the first game at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The series gets underway on Friday, November 14. According to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly, the Test is a sellout. There has been a good number of fans making their way to the Eden Gardens this week to catch a glimpse of Shubman Gill and Co. training.

Bumrah is expected to play a key role in the Test series. He has been in phenomenal form this year, having picked up 23 wickets from six Tests at an average of 23.43 and a strike rate of 47.3. This includes two five-wicket hauls as well. The right-arm pacer also has a fantastic record against the Proteas, accounting for 38 scalps in eight matches at an average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 41.9.