“When Jasprit Bumrah first began playing cricket, he only wanted to bowl bouncers aimed at the batter’s head,” recalls his childhood coach Kishore Trivedi in Ahmedabad. “He had to be taught variations — cutters, yorkers — and how to set up batters.”
Introduced to organised cricket relatively late at 16, Bumrah had to quickly sharpen his skills to survive India’s intensely competitive system. What he already possessed was a distinctive bowling action and sharp pace. His action was unlike anything seen before, and many young batters in the nets were intimidated. Some even whispered that he was a “chucker,” wary of saying it aloud in front of coach Trivedi.
Trivedi remembers instantly recognising Bumrah’s potential. Though the action was unconventional, it troubled everyone who faced him. More importantly, Bumrah was eager to learn. He absorbed advice, corrected mistakes, and steadily refined his craft. Those early lessons laid the foundation for a career that has made him one of the finest fast bowlers of his generation.
A different kind of impact in the T20 World Cup
In the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Bumrah’s influence goes beyond the wicket tally. Though he is not among the top wicket-takers, his spells have been decisive. Against South Africa national cricket team, he dismantled Quinton de Kock’s stumps, deceived Ryan Rickelton, and later removed Corbin Bosch in the death overs.
Across matches against Namibia, Pakistan, the Netherlands, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies, Bumrah’s overs have been distributed unusually:
Bowling distribution
0–6 overs (Powerplay): 8 overs
7–14 overs (Middle): 5 overs
15–20 overs (Death): 6 overs
Rather than following a fixed spell pattern, he has been used as a tactical weapon. Former players such as Sunil Gavaskar and Dinesh Karthik have suggested giving him a longer run in the powerplay, but India have deployed him based on match situations.
Against the West Indies national cricket team, for example, he bowled just one over in the powerplay before returning in the middle and death overs to dismiss key players like Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir explained that Bumrah is assigned to counter the opposition’s most dangerous batters. Against the West Indies, that meant targeting middle-order hitters such as Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford. Whenever India need control in a crucial phase, Bumrah is called upon. Gambhir described him as a “banker” — someone trusted to steady the game in high-pressure moments.
Beyond the wicket column
In earlier eras, bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee often operated in structured spells, sometimes returning to clean up tailenders. Bumrah’s role, however, is less about accumulating easy wickets and more about neutralising threats.
In this T20 World Cup, he is bowling at an economy of 6.30 with a strike rate of 13.33 — exceptional figures in the format. It echoes his performance in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he recorded the best economy rate despite not finishing as the leading wicket-taker.
For Bumrah, team success outweighs personal milestones. He focuses on preparation, execution and fulfilling the role assigned to him.
Coach Trivedi believes Bumrah’s talent is extraordinary. Once mocked for his unusual action in Ahmedabad, he is now emulated by young bowlers worldwide. At Trivedi’s academy, several youngsters even try to replicate his distinctive style — a testament to the legacy he has built.
For Trivedi, that influence matters more than numbers on a scoreboard.
