Over the years, the IPL has become a centre of experimentation and excellence in T20 cricket. While the format is more batter-oriented, some bowlers have managed to stay ahead of the batters and excel with consistent, effective, and often brutal performances.
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As the IPL is now one season short of completing two decades of existence, it tends to spark debates around the greatest batters and bowlers. On the Fast Bowling Cartel podcast, Australian bowling legend Glenn McGrath, alongside Damien Fleming and Jason Gillespie, revisited the league’s rich history of fast bowling and narrowed down their top picks -ultimately agreeing on two standout names.
For McGrath, the choice came down to Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah. Malinga’s ability to check batters even in clutch situations was second to none. A similar skill now belongs to Indian star Bumrah, who recently bowled the 18th over during England’s chase against India. He conceded only six runs, demonstrating why he is considered one of the greatest bowlers in contemporary cricket.
While Malinga’s stature as one of the finest T20 bowlers remains untouched, McGrath said that might not last forever. “It was tough for me to decide the top two. I think the only reason Bumrah is second in my list is because he is still playing. I think by the end of his career, he would leapfrog Malinga,” McGrath said. “Malinga was class with 170 wickets in 122 matches. Not many bowlers could nail yorkers at the death as Malinga did.”
Malinga’s legacy with the Mumbai Indians remains one of the defining chapters of IPL bowling. With 170 wickets in 122 matches, a strike rate of 16.63 and an economy of 7.14, the Sri Lankan maestro set the benchmark for death bowling. His influence extended beyond numbers, as he played a key mentoring role in the early years of Bumrah, who has since carved his own legacy.
The Indian spearhead has claimed 183 wickets in 146 matches, boasting a strike rate of 18.37 and an economy of 7.26, underlining his consistency and evolution into one of the world’s premier fast bowlers.
Fleming and Gillespie agreed with McGrath’s top-two selections, reinforcing the dominance of Malinga and Bumrah in IPL history. Gillespie, who revealed his list first, anticipated the overlap.
“I think we are going to be pretty similar here, boys, not sure about one or two,” he said.
Fleming, meanwhile, highlighted Bumrah’s uniqueness, describing him as “freakish.” “Commentators in this IPL have been saying that when playing against the Mumbai Indians, you just have 16 overs to attack. That’s crazy. He has a stutter in his run-up and unbelievable execution,” he quipped.
Gillespie also offered a glimpse into Malinga’s obsessive precision during training. “When I was with the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab), during a practice session, he just put a shoe at the middle stump and kept hitting it with precision. That shows you why he was able to execute it so efficiently,” he recalled.
Beyond the top two, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult featured consistently across all three lists, securing the fourth spot. The discussion also sparked a debate around Dwayne Bravo, with McGrath questioning his classification as a pure fast bowler. “Do you class Bravo as a fast bowler? He is an exceptional all-rounder and quality player. He is a champion like that song which Brian Lara used to sing,” he remarked.
McGrath also acknowledged Dale Steyn for his impressive economy of 6.91, while naming Mohammed Shami as his fifth pick. For the third spot, McGrath and Fleming backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar, while Gillespie opted for Kagiso Rabada, further underlining the depth of fast-bowling talent the IPL has showcased over the years.