Over the decades, bowlers have had become lead characters of cricket’s compelling narrative. They’re fearsome and dreadful, they’re poised, they’re gripping, and they’re predominantly bossing the game. And above all, they’re a treasure trove of memories. And amongst a happy-hunting pack, rose Team India’s Jasprit Bumrah, who has a bag full of tricks. Yikes!
Well, in such an essence, bowlers have a big heart to defy career-ending injuries. Beyond anything, fictitious, such has been the bond and fundamentals of fast bowlers to relish success forever. This is what I wrote a year ago; Is Indian bowling toothless without Bumrah?
Time flies, you know it better, it’s a literal lifetime.
In short, Pakistan is sanctified with bowlers and India equally has access to the assembly line: for producing outstanding batsmen. So, the healthy debate is over.
Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar, who is labelled as the ‘bad boy’ of cricket believed abnormality among the fast bowlers is a blessing in disguise; before cranking up the batsmen with all hands up. It becomes surreal and adds to the gratification.
Anyway, Akhtar, who underwent the knife on numerous occasions during his career, was thrilled by speed. Eventually, he was vocal about the traditional format.
“It gets your blood going, the adrenaline is pumping, and you’re in a fight. To me, that’s what Test cricket is all about,” Akhtar said once.
Bumrah is rejoicing in his stride:
In such parlance, young pace bowling sensation Bumrah is celebrating in his stride. He is a man of the moment in the cricketing world who has ticked all boxes in style and without any fuss.
Bumrah earned the spot for 2016 ICC Twenty World Cup after being highest the wicket-taker in a Twenty20 series in Australia. India wrapped the series 3-0. Soon after his unprecedented success, Bumrah’s ability to hit the blockhole judiciously and release point had become hot topics and eventually a centre of attraction in cricketing circles.
Meanwhile, Bumrah’s grammar of bowling and natural athleticism set him apart from other world-class bowlers. He might not be as fast as Brett Lee, and equally, as wild as Akhtar aka The Rawalpindi Express to send down thunderbolts, his much-talked action has had accentuated his stature.
From the contorting, slinging action bowlers have had been often vulnerable to career-ending injuries. With the succession of a lower-back stress fracture, shoulder, elbow, knee, foot injuries and what not many among the terrifying quicks have had lost the rhythm, and the recent example is Australian paceman Mitchell Starc.
Have you ever wondered what if there was no speed gun technology? Well, neither Akthar, Lee and nor wayward Shaun Tait would’ve boasted about their fastest deliveries.
Boomerang and Bumrah:
Nevertheless, Bumrah holds the key for the India National Cricket Team ahead of the much-awaited 2019 ICC World Cup. In England, he could be as threatening as he has been on his debut Test stint in Australia. And there in the United Kingdom (UK) conditions would suit his style of bowling.
Pragmatic in his approach, the thinking bowler in suave Bumrah knows what it takes to rattle the batsmen being of such a higher calibre. Following his first-year success in the Test fold, Bumrah had all the right reasons to attribute his success to the First-class circuit after he emerged as a classical bowler when he shot into the limelight during Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians.
For once and all, Bumrah should thank Lasith Malinga for his invaluable inputs. Oh boy! Malinga must be proud after a decade before boasting, ‘This star was my ward when I was at my prime’. And why shouldn’t he? It is how rookies come out of the shadows.
Meanwhile, Bumrah has learnt a lot while bowling amid scorching heat. He might not have those significant strides, but being nimble has had increased his pace to pay rich dividends.
To be precise, Tour de force Bumrah sets up batsmen to cherish merry-run with the ball only to add varieties to his top-flight cricket. And there is a resolute force beyond the red and white object that gently makes it talk: the golden bowling arm it has to be in any case.
The wily customer, Bumrah did his research thoroughly before the Australia Test series, and it was visible with his excellent slower ball to Shaun Marsh in Melbourne. So did, Bumrah with his inswinger to Keaton Jennings in Southampton.
No-ball and a billboard on Bumrah:
However, Bumrah’s no-ball menace saw Jaipur police warning drivers using an advertisement with his no-ball image. Back then, it gave Pakistani batsman, Fakhar Zaman a reprieve during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval. Phew. It’s part and parcel. Bumrah has moved on, so as, team India. By the time, visitors create history in Australia, and it’s to be something monumental to Indian cricket, in particular.
Virat Kohli and his men clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by wrapping the four-match series 2-1 following a Sydney draw.
Imagine yourself as India’s skipper. Now, throw a ball at him, and I bet he won’t be fretting in any of the conditions you’re going to throw him in.
For the outcome, he would be at the helm of affairs to do his job shrewdly. He is there to clench his fist to be the first—to deliver the punch with the ball by flummoxing the batsmen in their den. Such has been his domination in the alien conditions.
However, Bumrah’s unerring yorkers and lovely slower ones add melody to his repertoire. He might have been disorganised in his early life, but the discipline with the ball has made him stand out; there is a production line of bowlers in India too.
Meanwhile, Bumrah is being lauded for his tremendous efforts, far and wide. According to former Australian skipper and prominent batsman, Michael Clarke, Bumrah’s ‘consistent pace makes it harder for the batsmen to survive’. Clarke is apt in his observations.
Bumrah’s road to Test success and International dominance:
During his maiden Test stint on South African soil, Bumrah tops the chart for inducing false shots. He sent down 27.55 per cent of deliveries which batsmen found tough to tackle.
And in England, with a minimum of 400 balls bowled, Bumrah follows Mohammed Shami (28.53) with 27.08 per cent deliveries leaving batsmen in all sorts of trouble.
Again in Australia, Bumrah dominated the ladder with roughly 25 per cent for creating uncertainty among the batters.
Bumrah, 25, made his international debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) against Australia on January 23, 2016. However, it took him almost two years to break into the Test squad when India toured South Africa in January 2018. Overall, he became 290th Indian to don the coveted Test cap.
So far, Bumrah bagged 49 wickets in 20 innings of nine Tests at the incredible average of 21.89. In 44 One-day Internationals, Bumrah claimed 78 scalps at the bowling average of 21.01. However, in 40 Twenty20 Internationals Bumrah clinched 48 scalps at an average of 20.47.
Bumrah is the heartbeat to cricket:
Succinctly, affable Bumrah, who wears beatific smile without an iota of doubt, is the heartbeat to cricket. Concurrent India National Cricket Team skipper, Kohli has been singing praises for Bumrah’s work ethic and rigorous fitness. He is a bit different, a real natural apart from being unconventional in his bowling action.
Relish Bumrah’s success like yours, he is the man of certain principles beyond description. His meteoric rise is the quotient to his stardom for Team India, and you won’t find him pretentious.
From Ahmedabad to Australia, Bumrah is one of a kind. So far, he has defied all overwhelming odds with a broad smile.
