Wasim Akram (left) and Jasprit Bumrah (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Legendary Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has heaped praise on India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, calling him a “modern-day great.” He also credited the Indian team management for handling Bumrah’s workload with remarkable precision.“Jasprit Bumrah is a world-class bowler, no doubt about it,” Akram said on the show Hasna Mana Hai.“He has a very unusual action, he has pace, and the way India is managing him is incredible. Full credit to the management and their mindset.”When asked if Bumrah was an all-time great, Akram replied: “One should not compare eras. He is a right-arm fast bowler, I was a left-arm quick. I’ve seen debates on social media, but neither he cares nor do I. He is a modern great. I did my bit in my time, but he is very impressive.”Reflecting on the challenges of modern cricket, Akram added: “In the 90s, there was no T20. In ODIs, batters often left bad balls, but now even good balls in Tests get hammered. There’s much more pressure on bowlers these days. Jasprit has more chances of picking wickets since batters are always looking for shots. As bowlers, we enjoy that aggression.”

Sharing his views on the proposed two-tier system in the World Test Championship (WTC), Akram expressed his disapproval.“If Pakistan, West Indies, and Bangladesh keep playing among themselves, how will they improve?” he said. “I don’t agree with the two-tier system. Test cricket needs quality teams. There’s no point in letting associate teams play Tests before developing their first-class structure.”