INDIAN CRICKET

I always had the outswinger - Bumrah

by Gaurav Gupta • Published on

Bumrah made his Test debut last year. © Getty

He may have become as important to India's bowling as Virat Kohli is to their batting, but it's clear that Jasprit Bumrah doesn't have the flamboyance of his captain as yet. In these times, where cricketers wear their confidence, and at times arrogance on their sleeves, his shy persona, humble nature and an ever-smiling face make him refreshingly different.

"I'm very happy. I started playing Test cricket a year back and playing all three formats was my dream. I always wanted to play Test cricket. It's been a good journey. I'm learning from the experience that I've gained by playing in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies. India will be a different challenge, which I'm looking forward to," he said while attending an event.

Bumrah used the outswinger to good effect during India's recent tour of the Caribbean, where he took 13 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls at just 9.23. Even though it's not a delivery we have seen him bowl often, Bumrah reveals that he has always had the outswinger in his repertoire. "I haven't mastered it. I always had the outswinger. I've not used it a lot, but bowling in England, where the Dukes ball swings for a long period of time, and playing more and more Tests, gave me a lot of confidence. I was able to execute my skills because of these factors," he says.

His teammates in India and Gujarat tell you that Bumrah keeps practising the yorker in the nets till he gets it right. "It's not just that delivery. (To execute) any other delivery, I do a lot of hard work. There's a lot of work that goes behind the scenes. I've to practise extra to execute each and every delivery. So, I try and tick all the boxes before I leave the practice arena," he stresses.

Perhaps, like most top players, Bumrah's success lies in the homework that he does before every series, and that doesn't involve merely slogging it out in the nets. "I prepare a lot before any match or tournament. I do a lot of homework. I try to assess the conditions. I try to ask questions to the seniors about what they think about what I'm planning. I try to listen to these things, filter it out, so that (I can judge that) these are the things that I can do, and these are the things that I can't do," he explains.

It helps Bumrah that he seems to enjoy a great equation with India skipper Virat Kohli. "You must have seen on TV how Virat leads from the front with his performances. He backs all his teammates, gives his bowlers a lot of confidence. He gives you complete freedom to bowl the way you want to bowl, to express yourself. It feels good when your captain has that kind of belief in you," the 25-year-old gushed.

Like Javagal Srinath, India's pace spearhead in the 90s, Bumrah is playing his first Test at home after playing around the world. Is he keyed up for the three-Test series against South Africa? "Each and every series is challenging. I have played all my life in Ranji Trophy cricket in India. So, these are not new conditions for me," he says.

© TNN

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