Jasprit Bumrah rarely conducts interviews. Even when he does, he rarely opens up. Don’t read too much into his constant toothy smile, giggly post-match interviews, or overly polite public school manners. There’s more to him.
His cryptic posts, candid comments picked up by the stump mic, stray thoughts shared with teammates on long podcasts, and insights shared by those close to him all contribute to a better understanding of the Real Bumrah — the man responsible for demystifying the Bazball cult and returning for the final Test after a break.
Under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, England appeared to have accomplished the impossible. They had persuaded their fans and other stakeholders that entertainment, not victory, was the true essence of sport.
That is until they arrived in India and ran into a proud bowler who had overcome early rejection and toxic social media slander to become a one-of-a-kind modern-day great pace bowler.
R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja appeared to have been mastered by a touring team early in the series, for the first time since they joined forces. SOS was issued, and the panic button was about to be pressed. But just in time, Bumrah stepped in. And it wasn’t just him quickening his pace and honing his abilities. The ego and angst of Bumrah halted the march of cricket’s newest hipsters.
Polite but proud
Those at the Mumbai Indians have witnessed his development. They know him fairly well.
“He is the most polite and friendly player around. But he’s a bowler with a large ego. If he is hit, expect a bouncer soon. He is extremely sensitive. A franchise veteran says, “He knows how to make a point in his quiet way.”
This is not a new trait for him; he has had it since he was a young boy in Ahmedabad spending his evenings playing tennis ball cricket with his friends.
Five years ago, while profiling Bumrah, The Indian Express spoke with one of his childhood friends, Preet Mehta. He discussed his friend’s usual counter-strike.
“If we hit him for four or six, the next ball would either be a bouncer or a beamer,” Mehta, an IT professional, explained.
He has evolved. Bumrah, 30, is regarded as a thinking pacer. He is not so naive or one-dimensional to rely solely on his oldest weapon, the Yorkers, when under pressure. However, one Yorker stood out in this series. It was unquestionably the series’ best comeback moment, one that will be remembered for years.
However, the idea only lasted for a Test. On the second day of the second Test, Bumrah bowled a unique spell around tea time. He first shattered Pope’s stumps with a reverse swinging yorker that followed the path famously charted by Waqar Younis. Pope was on the 23rd. Since his dismissal, he has scored 39, 3, 23, 23, and 1.
Even when he makes a point, Bumrah keeps it subtle.
England were chasing 557 in the fourth innings of the third Test in Rajkot. The Bazball demon had not yet been defeated, and Stokes and his followers had not lost their bravado or swagger.
Opener Ben Duckett made the outrageous claim that Yashasvi Jaiswal learned attacking cricket from them. James Anderson made it clear to the media that the team’s philosophy remained one of winning at all costs, including the possibility of losing. He told the media that the Baz in Bazball, coach McCullum, had told the team that even if England had to chase 600, they would do it.
Fate had granted them their wish; at Rajkot, they would find a target in that range. However, England failed to live up to their promises. They would have a nightmare beginning. They were 28/3, and the game was only 11 overs old.
Bumrah now had Joe Root in front of him. He didn’t seem to be in the mood for adventure. Bumrah, perhaps anticipating a Root innovative hit, bowled an off-cutter. The batsman would instead defend it. Bumrah was amused, looking at the captain and saying, “Ab toh maar hi nahi rahe hai (They are not looking to hit right now)”.
The stump mic would amplify the voice and broadcast it throughout the cricket world. An important statement was being made in the most casual and deferential manner. This was Bumrah passing judgment—the pulse was low, and Bazball was breathing heavily.
Throughout the series, in his moments of triumph, Bumrah would show bitterness, expressing his dissatisfaction with how he had been treated. It was clear that the champion bowler felt he had not been treated fairly.
After the second Test, when he topped the ICC Test rankings, he expressed his concerns. His Instagram post featured two photos, one of a crowded cricket stadium and the other of a lone spectator sitting among empty seats. The first was labeled “The Congratulations” and the second “The Support”. Bumrah was dignified once more, reminding everyone that he lacked support when he needed it the most.
Bumrah was constantly mocked for the majority of last year as he recovered from a career-threatening injury. Memes were created about how he had missed India’s games but would miraculously recover for the IPL. In this India-England series, Bumrah had to make a point. He recently experienced another setback.
Despite his recent tour as India’s captain and his loyalty to the Mumbai Indians, he did not succeed Rohit Sharma as captain. That honor went to Hardik Pandya, whom MI redrafted from the Gujarat Titans. Around this time, Bumrah would post another perplexing statement: “Silence is sometimes the best answer.”
Bumrah made his Test debut under the Table Mountain six years ago, rattling a strong South African batting lineup. Now, under the watchful eye of snowy Dhauladhar in Dharamsala, he has the opportunity to further undermine Bazball’s street cred. Flanked by the enchanting yet echoing hills, he can gently remind the world not to celebrate only his peaks.
