Jasprit Bumrah, India’s ace fast bowler, enters the T20 World Cup with renewed vigor following a successful comeback from injury. Known for his lethal yorkers, Bumrah’s simplicity in approach and relentless practice have paved the way for his resurgence.
Bumrah’s return to the international scene came after a long hiatus between 2022 and 2023 due to a serious back injury. Missing out on the 2022 T20 World Cup and several key fixtures, his absence was deeply felt. But since his comeback in a T20I series against Ireland last August, he hasn’t looked back.
His stellar performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where he claimed 20 wickets at an average of 18.65, speaks volumes of his impact.
Reflecting on his journey back, Bumrah shared his philosophy: “Since I have come back from my injury, I have only focused on enjoying the game as much as I can,” Bumrah stated. “Things will go my way, and things will not go my way. It’s all part of the process. I started playing this sport because I love it, and I focus on that rather than the end result.”
Bumrah’s success in T20 cricket, with 74 T20I wickets placing him third on India’s all-time list, owes much to his deadly yorkers. He attributes this skill to his early days playing tennis-ball cricket. “I played a lot of tennis-ball, rubber-ball cricket when I was growing up,” he reminisced. “I thought yorkers were the only way to get wickets because I was fascinated by fast bowling.”
Repetition has been key to his mastery. “Is tennis-ball cricket a secret to bowling yorkers? I don’t know. But repetition surely is. I still practice it to make it stronger,” Bumrah explained.
As the senior-most pacer in the T20 World Cup squad, Bumrah leads an attack featuring Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, with support from all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Despite his seniority, Bumrah prefers to give young bowlers like Arshdeep the space to learn and grow.
“You don’t try to over-teach. I let them have their own questions or seek my help when needed,” Bumrah advised. “I pass on information I’ve gained but don’t burden them with it. Finding their own ways and solutions is part of the journey.”
With India grouped alongside Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and the USA in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Bumrah’s leadership and simplicity could be pivotal in their quest for a second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.
