AB de Villiers: Shoaib Akhtar Was Miles Faster Than Jasprit Bumrah
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has weighed in on the Shoaib Akhtar vs Bumrah debate, saying Akhtar was “miles faster” than India’s Jasprit Bumrah and naming the Pakistan pace great the toughest of the three fast bowlers when it came to raw speed.
De Villiers made the remarks on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast, when the host asked him who was the hardest to face among Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and Akhtar. The clip has travelled fast among cricket fans in Pakistan and India, reviving the long-running Shoaib Akhtar vs Bumrah debate.
Shoaib Akhtar vs Bumrah on pure pace: “not even close”
“It’s all different times of my career. Shoaib Akhtar came first. He was incredibly tough, miles faster than Bumrah, not even close. So from a pure pace point of view, it’s definitely Akhtar,” de Villiers said.
The batting great, who retired from international cricket in 2018, faced Akhtar early in his career when the Rawalpindi Express was at his fastest. Akhtar remains the only bowler officially recorded at 100 mph, a mark he set against England in 2003.
De Villiers added that he faced Malinga when he was a more mature batter who understood his technique better. The Sri Lankan, with his slingy action and yorkers, “never really troubled” him too much, though he praised Malinga’s completely different skill set.
Bumrah the most consistent of the three
While Akhtar won on pace, de Villiers named Bumrah as the most consistent of the three. “If I had to say most consistent, definitely Jasprit. I think he’s just someone who didn’t make a lot of mistakes,” he said.
He noted that he faced Bumrah towards the end of his own career, when he was perhaps not as agile anymore, but the two still had “great battles”. He rated Malinga “not far behind” Bumrah and praised the Indian pacer for “consistently asking good questions” and having “such a great temperament for a fast bowler”.
The verdict splits the honours neatly: Akhtar for raw pace, Bumrah for relentless consistency, Malinga for unique skill. It is the kind of cross-era comparison fans love, and few batters are better placed to judge it than de Villiers, who faced all three at different stages of his career.
Not the first time de Villiers praised Pakistan’s greats
This is not the first time de Villiers has spoken warmly about Pakistani cricketers. He earlier picked a Pakistani player in his all-time XI, a choice that won him plenty of admirers here.
Akhtar, meanwhile, has stayed in the headlines in Pakistan. The PCB reportedly offered him the chief selector role earlier this month, an offer he turned down, saying he was not interested in the job.
The timing of the podcast clip is convenient for Pakistani fans. With Pakistan hosting Sri Lanka and England in an ODI tri-series this month, the national conversation is fully on cricket — and a reminder of the country’s fast-bowling heritage from one of the modern game’s finest batters is the kind of fuel supporters enjoy.
FAQ
What did AB de Villiers say about Shoaib Akhtar and Bumrah?
On The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast, de Villiers said Shoaib Akhtar was “miles faster” than Jasprit Bumrah — “not even close” — and named Akhtar the toughest of the three fast bowlers on raw pace.
Who did de Villiers rate as the most consistent?
He named Jasprit Bumrah the most consistent of the three, saying “he’s just someone who didn’t make a lot of mistakes”. He rated Lasith Malinga “not far behind”.
What did he say about facing Malinga?
De Villiers said he faced Malinga when he was a more mature batter who understood his technique better, so the Sri Lankan “never really troubled” him too much.
Has de Villiers praised Pakistani players before?
Yes. He earlier picked a Pakistani player in his all-time XI, and his latest comments on Akhtar continue that pattern.
