Fast, furious and fired-up Jasprit Bumrah

Seldom has Jasprit Bumrah been so pumped during the Indian Premier League. But on Monday, he let go a roar and a visible pump. 

Prior to this game, Bumrah endured a lull in the IPL that he had never seen before, a spell of continued drought that not only reflected his own season but also Mumbai Indians’ season, who were languishing at the bottom of the table. 

Across seven games this season, the Indian pacer went wicketless. In the three other games prior to this, he had snapped up just the five wickets, showing why there was a worry. There was even the suggestion that the Indian pacer should be rested, considering how the stretch of games only would further reflect in his performance for the country. 

When he had sent Russell back to the hut, there wasn’t even the mildest of celebration. Not even from the fielder Kieron Pollard. The right-arm pacer went about his business without any adulteration. In fact, even when he had bowled that nasty bouncer which took off and rapped Nitish Rana on his gloves, there was just a polite smile. 

For the longest time, this has been Bumrah’s life. During the 2019 edition of the IPL, against Chennai Super Kings in the final, even when Quinton de Kock had made a rookie mistake, the 28-year-old was all smiles and even put a hand over the wicketkeeper’s shoulders after the over during a high-pressure match situation. 

“Bumrah was special,” uttered Mumbai skipper Rohit despite losing the game in magnanimous fashion. 

Everything was second-best to Bumrah, even the night sky.

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But even for the calmest of bowlers in world cricket – Bumrah – the extended spell of drought would seemingly be played at the back of his mind. And when it all unfurled for the world to see – it was a spectacle. 

In the 18th over of the innings, KKR were still on 156/5, with an opportunity to attack the Indian pacer and take the total of somewhere north of 180. 

Bumrah was back into the attack but this time, it was something different. There was a glow in his eyes, the sort of glow that makes the batters nervous. But he received the ball just like another over of his, he walked straight to his bowling mark and then his feet landed – thud. 

The 28-year-old started the over with not just a thud with the foot but a thud with his bowling, a short delivery. While it didn’t shoot tall, it was enough to see the back of Sheldon Jackson, on the back of a brilliant take from Daniel Sams. 

In a franchise that had suffered terribly at the hand of poor bowling display, Bumrah’s form was always going to be highlighted more than ever. And seven games were a huge margin to go wicketless. 

An over from the MI pacer, very often, has been compared to ‘hell’ in the past for the batters. It was no different this time, it was threatening, menacing and most importantly: skilful. 

That’s the word associated most with Bumrah, skilful. 

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“Whenever you help the team, make an impact, that gives me a satisfaction. That's the way I always play my cricket, so happy with my performance. I don't go there with a fixed mindset, I train for all situations and I understand, sometimes I have to bowl at the start, sometimes in the end. I have to be flexible,” reflected Bumrah after his career-best figures in the shortest format. 

In the presence of Trent Boult last year, it wasn’t the task for Bumrah to bowl in the powerplay and pick up the wickets. But in the absence of a plethora of Mumbai’s core unit, the right-arm pacer was the go-to man for every possible task. Despite going wicketless on seven occasions, the 28-year-old was never out of the game, his economy rate was always on the lower side of the eight-run mark.

With Bumrah, that’s where the expectation scale is at, the poorer Mumbai perform, the more pressure on the pacer to increase his standards. But it was a timely reminder of the ups and downs of the sport. While the spell was influential in reducing KKR’s total to a substantial one, it was still a daunting one for Mumbai to chase. 

It was the second-best bowling figure in a losing cause but it was indeed a day where we all can go out and say yet again, “I saw the lethal venom that Bumrah possesses,” without one disagreeing. 

And in the simplest of words, the Player of the Match, deservedly, the MI pacer came out saying, “We had our chance to do that but couldn't get it done. That's the way it is. I don't keep track of figures or goals, my aim is to stick to the process. Sometimes you bowl well but don't get wickets. Can't get desperate.”

Bumrah is Bumrah, yaar!