Jasprit Bumrah has admitted he didn’t always know where life would take him. “If not a cricketer, I’d probably be a struggling cricketer,” he jokes, reflecting on his unwavering love for the game.
In an interview with Forbes India, Bumrah opened up about his passion for bowling, the challenges of the game, and his extraordinary journey from watching cricket on TV to becoming India’s pace spearhead.
The Allure of Fast Bowling
For a young Bumrah, the sight of fast bowlers dismantling stumps and making batters jump left an indelible impression. “Watching stumps fly and batters duck fascinated me,” he recalls. Unlike many kids enamoured by batting, Bumrah’s heart was set on bowling.
Even now, his teammates know where his priorities lie. “Batting doesn’t excite me,” he laughs. “Bowling is tougher, and I remind them of that often.”
His toughest opponent? Surprisingly, it’s a teammate. “Ashwin in the nets,” he says with a grin. “He always brings something out of the box.”
From Dreams to Reality
Bumrah’s rise is nothing short of meteoric. In 2024 alone, he was the Player of the Series in India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign and the year’s leading wicket-taker across formats. His stats are staggering: 77 wickets in 20 matches, a Test average of 19.52, and a reputation for excellence in all conditions.
But Bumrah is not one to obsess over numbers. “I focus on the child who dreamed of playing for India,” he says. “The numbers are just a bonus.”
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The Yorker’s Origins
One of Bumrah’s most lethal weapons—the yorker—has its roots in gully cricket. “As a kid, I loved seeing batters struggle,” he recalls. “I’d bowl yorkers again and again, not realizing I was developing a skill.”
That skill has since rattled batters worldwide. From toe-crushing yorkers to his unpredictability with pace and swing, Bumrah has transformed into a nightmare for even the best in the game.
A Legacy in the Making
Bumrah’s achievements speak volumes. He’s surpassed Kapil Dev to become India’s highest wicket-taker in SENA countries and has the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian pacer after Dev.
The final of the 2024 T20 World Cup showcased Bumrah’s brilliance. Defending 22 runs in 18 balls, Bumrah’s economical over choked South Africa’s chase, turning the game on its head.
“I stayed in the present,” he says, reflecting on the tense moments. “I didn’t think about glory balls but focused on taking the team to a better position.”
Grounded Despite Success
For all his accomplishments, Bumrah remains grounded. The joy of victory in the T20 World Cup was a stark contrast to the silence that followed India’s loss in the ODI World Cup final just months earlier.
“Winning felt amazing, but we kept our feet on the ground,” he says. “We know how quickly things can change.”, he concluded.
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