Bumrah, Cummins, Shaheen, and Rabada - An In-depth Comparison

(Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah in a frame)

Since the start of cricket, the game has always been loved and promoted with the name of batters who have scored tons of runs. Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith and many others are the ones who have got a huge fanbase because of their aesthetic shots and centuries. However, the game has hardly seen bowlers having recognition and fame despite putting their bodies on the line. Doing one of the most difficult tasks in the game and bowling with their full strength under scorching heat, the bowlers are always on the sideline. But today, we will be recognizing and comparing the best four fast bowlers of this generation who have made their name in the game despite playing under batting-friendly conditions.

Who Are the Top Fast Bowlers of the Current Generation?

The best batters of the current generation, the term Fab 4 was introduced for the likes of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. But the Fab 4 in terms of fast bowlers is all about the players who have performed in difficult conditions for the team. Be it flat pitches, green tops or some dry wickets, these bowlers have always shown that they have the skill and determination to bowl well. The bowlers about whom we will be talking are - Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah, Shaheen Afridi, and Kagiso Rabada.

In the current era, Jasprit Bumrah is talked about his top bowling in the death overs along with having the perfect yorkers which he can execute whenever he wants for the team. Talking about Pat Cummins, he is the one who has a natural action and can easily hit the off-stump consistently which is a primary skill of a genuine fast bowler. The third one is Shaheen Shah Afridi who is unplayable with the new ball and is dependable in the death overs of the game. While the fourth one is Kagiso Rabada who has the endurance to bowl longer spells and take wickets with his consistent lines and pace.

1. Pat Cummins

The Captain of the Australian Cricket team and the man who won the World Test Championship along with an ODI World Cup in just his first attempt, Pat Cummins is highly regarded as a “Generational Cricketer” because of his ability to perform in the big games. At just 18 years of age, Pat Cummins made his debut for the team in 2011. However, his career started late in 2017 after coming back from the injury and since then he has been a premier bowler for the team in tough conditions like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.

(Pat Cummins during a match for the Australian team in ODI World Cup 2023)

With Australia, he has won 2 ODI World Cups, 1 T20 World Cup, and a World Test Championship which has allowed him to be ranked at the top of the game. Under his leadership, the Australian test team managed to draw an Ashes series away from home while he also helped the team win test series in Pakistan and New Zealand.

2. Jasprit Bumrah

Regarded as the best fast bowler of the current generation and the player who has been the backbone of the Indian team in important games, Jasprit Bumrah is a name that has earned fame and recognition with the help of his yorkers and cutters. With a unique action and having the mind to read the game of batters, Jasprit Bumrah has risen up the ranks well. Amongst the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah became the first bowler to achieve number 1 ranking in all three formats of the game.

(Jasprit Bumrah during a match for the Indian team in ODI World Cup 2023)

With his unplayable deliveries and all the mind games that he plays with the batters, it has always been difficult for them to come and score runs against him. In the T20 format, his 4 overs are an absolute gem for the captain as he remains economical and manages to take up the wickets for the team during the Powerplay overs too.

3. Shaheen Shah Afridi

Hailing from Pakistan, the land of fast bowlers, they have got another addition to the list as Shaheen Shah Afridi is the bowler who has been outstanding with the new ball and knows how to take up wickets up the order. Being a left-arm bowler, the batters have always found it tough to face him and bowling around 145 kmph, he is the bowler who is always feared in the first over of the innings. His impressive performance underscores Pakistan's reputation for producing world-class fast bowlers.

(Shaheen Shah Afridi during a game for the Pakistan team)

Afridi's emergence signifies a promising addition to this esteemed tradition, highlighting his potential to become a dominant force in the cricketing world. Furthermore, the Pakistan team reaching the Semi-Finals and Finals of the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cup had seen an impact from him that allowed them to be better and bigger here.

4. Kagiso Rabada

A fast bowler from the shores of South Africa who knows how to rattle the stumps, Kagiso Rabada is a player who has been brilliant with the ball and has been the key wicket-taker for the team in tough situations. He's the go-to player for crucial wickets, especially in tough game situations. Rabada's talent and determination make him a standout performer, drawing attention from cricket fans worldwide. Beyond his bowling skills, he embodies resilience and sportsmanship, inspiring teammates and fans alike.

(Kagiso Rabada during a match for the South African team)

However, his aggression has been the thing that has got him under the scanner. Celebrating the wickets of batters aggressively has often been the talk of his career. However, his pace and accurate lines have given him a place in the list of best bowlers in the world right now.

Who is the best among the Fab 4 in Test Cricket?

The toughest format for the bowlers and a format that often tests the patience, skill and practice of the bowlers, Test Cricket has ruled the game and is considered as the best format of the game. For the bowlers, picking up wickets is the key and if the pitches are flat, then it becomes even more difficult for them to get those wickets. But staying patient and bowling their best balls remains the key here and these four fast bowlers are at the top of the list.

If we talk about test cricket, then Pat Cummins is the player who excels in all the departments. With an excellent line and hitting the top of the stumps, he is the bowler on whom Australia relies to get them wickets. In the 62 test matches played by him, Pat Cummins has managed to pick 269 wickets while having an average of 22.53 for the team. Along with his bowling, he has been a proper asset for the Australian team in the batting department too.

Name of the Player	Matches Played	Innings Played	Wickets Taken	Economy	Average	Strike Rate	5-wicket haul	10-wicket haul
Pat Cummins (Australia)	62	115	269	2.88	22.53	46.8	12	2
Jasprit Bumrah (India)	36	69	159	2.75	20.70	45.17	10	0
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)	29	50	113	3.12	26.72	51.45	4	1
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)	62	112	291	3.37	22.06	39.23	14	4

Coming as the second bowler on the list, Jasprit Bumrah has been sensational for the Indian team. On the overseas pitches, he has truly been the reason why India has got an amazing record away from home since his debut. For Kagiso Rabada, things have been amazing in South Africa and his pace along with competitive lengths have made him one of the best bowlers of this era. Talking about Shaheen Afridi, he is a young lad from Pakistan and has recently made his debut. However, his swinging deliveries early in the match show his impact.

Which bowler has dominated the ODI Format?

The limited overs format where each side has 50 overs to play, the format is a true test of the bowler where they have to adjust their lines according to the situation of the match. The format has been a tough one for the bowlers as they are often given flat pitches to get some big totals and hence they have to manage their bowling figures well during the big matches of the game.

In the ODI format of the game, Jasprit Bumrah is one step ahead of all the other bowlers of the game out there. He has got the perfect yorkers and cutters for the death overs of the game which allows him to stop the flow of runs in those overs of the game. Moreover, his spells in the powerplay are also top-notch as he bowls hard lines which makes it tough for the batters to pick him up well. In the 89 matches played by him, he has picked 149 wickets while having an average of 23.55 for the team.

(Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi in a frame)

Name of the Player	Matches Played	Innings Played	Wickets Taken	Economy	Average	Strike Rate	5-wicket haul	10-wicket haul
Pat Cummins (Australia)	88	88	141	5.29	28.66	32.50	1	0
Jasprit Bumrah (India)	89	88	149	4.60	23.55	30.74	2	0
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)	53	52	104	5.54	23.94	25.91	3	0
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)	101	99	157	5.06	27.78	32.94	2	0

In the second position, Pat Cummins has been brilliant for the Australian team in the ODI format as he has got some of the best spells under him. He is a tough bowler who knows how to pick wickets for the team in his quota of overs. Kagiso Rabada features at the third position in the list because of his pace and with the way he has ruled the ODI format for the team. At the last position, Shaheen Afridi rules the charts with his left-hand swinging deliveries to the batters of the opponent's teams.

In Search of the T20 Cricket King Among the Fab 4

The shortest format of the game that has everyone's attention because of the entertainment and the fun that it provides, the T20 format has everything that a batter needs and hence the bowlers have to be extremely skilful to stop the flow of runs here. With shorter boundaries, flat pitches, and many more, things are tough for the bowlers, and hence the T20 Cricket requires some of the best bowlers who can come out at the top for the teams.

To justify the place of Jasprit Bumrah in T20 cricket, we can see that he has the skills which allow the team to have trust in him. He has the slower balls and the cutters which allows him to bowl those 4 overs well. Furthermore, in T20 cricket, he has got experience of 62 T20 matches and in those contests, he has got 74 wickets while having an average of 19.66 and an economy rate of 6.56 which has given him the tag of best bowler in the T20 format.

Name of the Player	Matches Played	Innings Played	Wickets Taken	Economy	Average	Strike Rate	5-wicket haul	10-wicket haul
Pat Cummins (Australia)	52	52	57	7.43	24.77	20.00	0	0
Jasprit Bumrah (India)	62	61	74	6.56	19.66	17.99	0	0
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)	57	57	73	7.76	22.30	17.25	0	0
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)	56	56	58	8.61	29.88	20.81	0	0

The career of Shaheen Afridi in the T20 format is growing and with the fiery opening spells, he has got things in his favour which allows him to take the 2nd spot here. Coming to the third position, Pat Cummins has got the tag here because of his slower balls that have allowed him to raise his game in this format for the Australian team. The last spot goes to Kagiso Rabada who hasn’t got the consistent lines but is a nightmare for the batters when on song.

Final Rankings

In the final rankings of the fab 4 among the bowlers, we can rank Jasprit Bumrah as the best bowler who knows how to rule in all formats of the game. He has been brilliant in test cricket while has also gained the ICC Ranking number 1 in the other two formats too. In the 2019 and 2023 ODI World Cup, he was the reason why India made it to the knockouts of both the tournaments. With numerous awards and fame, he is at the first position in our list.

(Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins during a photoshoot)

At the second number, Pat Cummins is the player who has been unbelievable with his bowling skills in the game. In the test format, he is easily the best bowler to play the game in the current era while is also doing well in the ODI and T20 formats of the game. Along with captaincy pressure, he has won the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup which allows him to be rated at the top.

The third position is with Kagiso Rabada who knows how to handle aggression well and bowl tight in those fiery spells. Having the ability to bowl fast makes him one of the best bowlers of this generation. His records along with being a key member of the South African team have given him the position from where he can easily come out at the top.

The fourth and final spot in the list goes to Shaheen Shah Afridi who is a nightmare for the right-hand batters. Swinging the ball late has been his special ability and hence his first over in the game of cricket is a much bigger event for the fans. However, being young, he still has a long way to go and make his name for Pakistan cricket.