Jasprit Bumrah is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the Indian cricket team in all formats of the game. A right-arm fast bowler with a unique bowling action, Jasprit Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world and as one of the greatest fast bowlers India has ever produced.
During the 2013–14 season of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, John Wright, who was then the head coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Mumbai Indians (MI) and scouting for the team at the time, was impressed by Jasprit Bumrah’s performance and invited him to sign up for the franchise.
Jasprit Bumrah has played for the Mumbai Indians since 2013 IPL and helped the team win the title five times in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He has taken 145 wickets in 120 matches in the IPL, with an average of 23.30 and an economy rate of 7.39, making him the second-highest wicket-taker for the team after Lasith Malinga. He has one five-wicket haul and two four-wicket hauls in the league.
Jasprit Bumrah’s early stint in IPL
Jasprit Bumrah at the age of 19, grabbed instant limelight during his IPL debut, where he concluded with figures of 3/32 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Despite Virat Kohli hitting him for three fours in his first four deliveries of the IPL, Jasprit Bumrah managed to dismiss him on the fifth ball, with Kohli scoring 24 runs and Jasprit Bumrah securing his maiden IPL wicket. He was then benched for the remainder of the season and only played in the match against the Delhi Daredevils, where he failed to take a wicket.
Despite only playing 2 matches in the 2013 season, the Mumbai Indians retained him for the 2014 season. He went wicketless in his first two matches of the 2014 season. However, in the match against RCB, he took two wickets for 22 runs at an economy rate of 5.50, including the crucial wicket of AB de Villiers.
It was his best bowling figures of the season. Jasprit Bumrah played in 11 of Mumbai’s 15 matches and finished as the team’s fifth leading wicket-taker of the season, securing five wickets at an economy rate of 7.58 and an average of 60.20. MI retained Bumrah once again ahead of the 2015 Indian Premier League. Jasprit Bumrah played in only four of MI’s sixteen matches and took three wickets at an economy rate of 12.26.
Post the disastrous first 3 seasons with Mumbai Indians (MI) was considering replacing Jasprit Bumrah for the next seasons in the auction but the then skipper of Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma supported Jasprit Bumrah . Former Australian great Glenn McGrath has advised that Jasprit Bumrah and the management should consider an off season citing the long season cricketers play over the entire year.
Jasprit Bumrah needs an off season- Glenn McGrath
Former Australian great bowler Glenn McGrath said owing to his action and workload, Jasprit Bumrah needs time off from the game given the amount of effort that goes into his bowling. Jasprit Bumrah needs an ‘off-season’ since his bowling action with an ‘extensive effort’ could result in ace India pacer suffering further injuries, warned Australian pace great Glenn McGrath .
Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah got through the grueling Test series against England injury-free and unscathed as every fan and viewer hoped for given there’s an IPL season and the bigger priority T20 World Cup to be played through the next three months. Australian legend Glenn McGrath has warned Bumrah to keep taking breaks in between to avoid any future injury suggesting that his action, run-up and strides are bound to get him injured.
Jasprit Bumrah, who sent down over 100 overs in four Test matches he played against England, will be keen to stay fit before the T20 World Cup and hence his workload might be managed through the IPL as he is set to return to action on Sunday, March 24 against the Gujarat Titans at his home ground in Ahmedabad.
The 30 -year -old, suffered a stress fracture injury on his back that kept him out of action for one year since September 2022.Post return , Bumrah enjoyed tremendous success in 2023 World Cup and series versus South Africa and England.
In the media interaction at MRF Pace Foundation, Glenn McGrath said :
“The last two strides that he takes, he just powers into the crease. Thus, his momentum increases, and that’s where he gets the pace. Someone like Bumrah needs an off-season because he puts so much into every ball. With so much extensive effort, he needs a break. If he keeps playing, the amount of pressure created given the bowling action he has, he is bound to get injured, which he has in the past,”
Despite his injury history, Bumrah has been sensational across formats when he plays, claiming 382 wickets in 187 games. He became the fastest Indian and second-fastest Asian pacer to reach 150 Test wickets during the recently concluded England series.
Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the last season of the IPL as he recovered from his back injury, will be hoping to get through a long IPL season given he is as much crucial cog in the wheels for Mumbai Indians as he is for India. Mumbai Indians missed a death bowler last year and even though Akash Madhwal did well in the opportunities he got, he is still very young and Jasprit Bumrah, who last played in the 2022 edition of the IPL, will be wanting to give it all in a new-look Mumbai Indians side with the change in leadership.