BGT Aus vs Ind – Usman Khawaja – ‘I was getting Bumrah-ed’

But after six dismissals on the Indian fast bowler in eight innings in which he faced him, Khawaja admitted that he was “just getting Bumrah’ed”.

“To be honest, I was getting Bumrah,” Khawaja told ABC Sport after Australia won back the BGT in Sydney. “It was fucking hard work. It was hard work. People were asking me ‘what’s going on?’ “I’m being honest, I’m just going Bumrah.”

Bumrah finished the series as the highest wicket-taker, with 32 scalps at an average of 13.06 and was duly named Player of the Series.

However, he could only bowl nine innings and was unable to take the field during Australia’s chase at the SCG after experiencing back spasms during the first innings.

In Bumrah’s absence, Australia sealed the victory with six wickets to spare, and Khawaja admitted that Australia felt more confident on a spicy pitch when they saw that Bumrah was not on the field.

“You never want to see anyone hurt and it’s a shame that they did, but thank God for us. Because today it would have been an absolute nightmare to face him on that wicket,” Khawaja said.

“And you can see what a great part of their team he was. And everyone felt it. As soon as we didn’t see Bumrah out there, we had a feeling that we really had a chance here.”

Khawaja called Bumrah “the toughest bowler I have ever faced” and praised the fast bowler’s improvement since his first tour of Australia in 2018-19.

“He was always good, he was a very good bowler. [in 2018]. But this year it’s been a little different,” Khawaja said. “It looked like it just lifted its tail.

“The wickets have definitely helped him, but he is six years more mature, he is a better bowler, he understands his abilities. He understands who he is playing against and he has different plans for everyone.

“I always feel that no matter how good a bowler is, they will always give me something to score on. I just never felt like I could score against him. I felt very difficult. I have never found someone so difficult to beat.” He scores and shoots like Bumrah and you always feel he has a ball up his sleeve.”