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Jasprit Bumrah’s rise to the top of India’s pace attack has been undisputed. Known for his distinctive action, accuracy and ability to deliver under pressure, Bumrah has become the go-to bowler for India across formats. But according to veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, his debut in 2016 was far more due to timing and a little bit of recommendation from the 36-year-old.. Speaking to former cricketer Padamjeet Sehrawat on YouTube, Ishant shared an incident from the 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy final that left a lasting impression on him. Playing for Delhi against Gujarat in Bengaluru, Ishant saw Bumrah produce a match-winning spell.“I remember we were playing the List A match, I think it was in 2016.We were playing the final in Bengaluru, Delhi vs Gujarat. Uss time vo bhaagta tha, properly bhaagte hue bowling karta tha. Abhi jaisa (slow) nahi. He picked five wickets in that game,” Ishant recalled. Gujarat went on to win the title by 139 runs. The performance from Bunrah made Ishant to speak to then team mentor Ravi Shastri during India’s tour of Australia soon after. “After that, we went to Australia. I told Ravi bhai, ‘If we need anyone in this team, it’s Jasprit Bumrah.’ I told him about Bumrah’s action and his bowling. Ravi bhai was the mentor of the team. And look at his luck… someone got injured, and Bumrah came into the team. From there till now, his mindset and self-belief makes him stand out,” Ishant said.
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates taking the wicket of Steve Smith during game five of the ODI Series match vs Australia in Sydney (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
That injury was to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was ruled out before the final ODI of the 2016 series in Australia. Bumrah, not originally in the squad, was drafted in as a late replacement and made an immediate impact.
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Was Ishant Sharma’s recommendation crucial for Bumrah’s inclusion in the team?
On debut, he took 2/40 in 10 overs, helping India to a six-wicket win, which was also their only victory in the five-match series.
