India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has shared insights on his comeback from injury, mastery of the yorker, and approach to mentoring younger teammates. As a crucial player in India’s quest for a second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies this month, Bumrah has successfully returned from a significant back injury over the past year.
After being sidelined from international cricket between 2022 and 2023, Bumrah missed the T20 World Cup in 2022 and several other important fixtures. However, he made a strong comeback in August last year during a T20I series against Ireland and has been in excellent form since.
Bumrah was instrumental in India’s journey to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final, taking 20 wickets at an average of 18.65 and maintaining an economy rate close to four. Reflecting on his return, Bumrah emphasized a philosophy of enjoying the game and focusing on the process rather than the outcomes.
“Since I have come back from my injury, I have only focused on enjoying the game as much as I can,” Bumrah said. “Things will go my way, and some things will not. But I’ve realized that I play this sport because I love it, and I’ll focus on that rather than the end result. This approach reduces pressure and enhances my enjoyment of the game.”
Bumrah’s 74 T20I wickets place him third on India’s all-time T20I wicket-takers list. A significant part of his success is attributed to his precise yorkers, a skill he developed while playing tennis-ball cricket in his childhood.
“I played a lot of tennis-ball and rubber-ball cricket growing up,” Bumrah explained. “I used to think yorkers were the only way to get wickets, inspired by what I saw on TV. I kept practicing this delivery, even now, because repetition strengthens every skill.”
Debuting for India in 2016, Bumrah is now the senior-most pacer in the T20 World Cup squad, leading a bowling attack that includes Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Despite his seniority, Bumrah believes in giving young players like Arshdeep space to learn and grow.
“You don’t try to over-teach,” Bumrah noted. “I let them ask questions and seek help if they need it. Passing on information is important, but it’s also crucial to let them find their own solutions as part of their journey.”
India is placed in Group A for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, alongside Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and the USA.
