"Hope We Don't See Him In SA20": Faf Du Plessis Labels India Star As 'Toughest Bowler', Makes Cheeky Joke
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis made a cheeky remark regarding India pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: November 13, 2025 05:58 pm IST
- Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis called Jasprit Bumrah the 'toughest bowler' in the world
- Du Plessis joked about hoping not to face Bumrah in South Africa's SA20 league
- "Bumrah is the toughest bowler in the world to face. Hope we don't see him in the SA20," said Du Plessis
Jasprit Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world, and one of the best of his generation. The India pacer has emerged as an all-format giant in recent years, excelling in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, instilling fear in the minds of world-class batters across the globe. Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis appears to be one of Bumrah's admirers. In a recent interaction, du Plessis labelled him as the toughest bowler in the world, also stating that he hopes to never face him in the SA20.
"Bumrah is the toughest bowler in the world to face. Hope we don't see him in the SA20," said Du Plessis, speaking at an SA20 event.
Du Plessis, who plays for and captains Joburg Super Kings, a subsidiary of Chennai Super Kings, has faced Bumrah multiple times in the past, particularly in international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Bumrah's threat is one that World Test Championship (WTC) winners South Africa will have to be wary of when they tour India for two Tests, starting November 14.
Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith warned them regarding Bumrah.
"Get off to a solid start, have a top three that can lay a platform for you, there's nothing worse than if you go two or three down and then the spinners come on and you're against the game already," advised Smith, at the SA20 event.
"So countering Bumrah up front is going to be a big thing, and (Kagiso) Rabada as well for India. They're world-class bowlers with world-class Test records," Smith added.
Bumrah has held the No. 1 position in the ICC Test bowling rankings for quite some time. South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada is not far behind, currently occupying fifth spot. India pacer Mohammed Siraj and South African seamer Marco Jansen are ranked just outside the Top 10.
With PTI inputs
