Skill wise, Bumrah is a freak: Paras Mhambrey

India’s former bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said when it comes to skills, Jasprit Bumrah “is a freak”. The ace paceman has been India’s biggest match-winner in all three formats since his debut. Bumrah was also the Player of the Tournament when India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, taking 15 wickets at an insane average of 8.26 and an economy rate of 4.17.

Talking to News18 CricketNext, Mhambrey said: “Skill wise, Bumrah is a freak. As a bowler, you know, just looking at it, it’s a little technical because he needs to run up, he needs to run up, you know, take that momentum through, you know, go through, but if you look at Bumrah right now, pretty much just walks in, doesn’t even run, you know, just the way he releases the ball just walks in four or five steps. Obviously, now his little length and the run up is, but it doesn’t make a difference. If you ask him to bowl for four steps, also he’ll be as quick as what he’s doing.

“Yeah, he is just born that way and I think It’s obviously a born with a skill, but damn he’s worked hard for it man. He’s gone through the Ranji Trophy by bowling so much, played a lot of first-class cricket. He’s created the base and gone through a tough phase. He’s tested his body again and again, and have gone through seasons without injuries. So obviously, he has mastered his skills there and over the period with the experience that he has is just the intelligence to look at the way he bowls.

“He bowls the right ball at the right time. So he thinks about the game, right? He’s not just a run-in bowler who just comes in and just bowls, he’s a thinking bowler. And I think that’s one thing I believe that a greatness of a cricketer is always in his head and that’s where his strength is. He thinks about his game, he analyses the batsman.”

Mhambrey also said that Bumrah and Mohammed Shami together are a lethal combination. “I think the most lethal combination you can ever get. Two different kind of bowlers. Obviously, Bumrah is something different. Shami is a unique ability to land the balls up seam upright consistently. And I think that’s where his strength is. Because if it’s so upright, it doesn’t know that it goes in or comes in or goes out as a batsman, and you’re struggling plus you add pace.

“So in terms of combination, both are unique, both are different, but both are equally important, effective, you know, very different ways of approaching. But when you have kind of a variety like this, you know, as a batsman, you’re going to keep guessing. You have someone like Bumrah who comes in the short run, slow run, bowls yorkers consistently hit the deck, you have someone like Shami from the other end, then you can’t get away from either of them rolling together. Both are going to challenge you all the time.

“So as a batsman, you’re going to be challenged each and every delivery. So that’s the combination. As I said, in terms of if you look at the way he releases the ball. It’s pretty much upright right? I haven’t seen anyone with that ability that he has and that’s unique. The last time I had seen someone doing it as good as him was maybe Sreesanth in Indian cricket.”

Arshdeep Singh was another bowler who had a great 2024 T20WC. The left-arm seamer claimed 17 wickets and emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament. Arshdeep is now starting to cement his place in the 50-over format but is yet to play Test cricket for India. He has played 16 first-class games, taking 49 wickets @ 31.97, and even represented Kent in the County Championship. 

“I think the idea was to make sure Arshdeep plays a lot of first class cricket. I think with the red ball especially. He’s really doing well in the white ball. If you look at the way he goes about T20 format, he’s fabulous. One day cricket as well, he started playing one day cricket. He’s shown in South Africa that he played, he picked up a five-for. So you could see that with the white ball, he’s effective.

“Obviously, the challenge is sometimes now taking forward to the red ball. I think that was the idea for us to make sure that in between where he was not part of the white ball team, he was given a break, made sure that when the Test cricket was going on, we made sure that he played Ranji Trophy. And I think that’s where you really get better. You challenge yourself mentally, physically. You’re a lot more bowling, you’re doing it. And the more you bowl, you can get a lot of control. So, the idea was to make sure that he plays Ranji Trophy.

“When the county approached, I think that’s where we are, obviously Rahul was also on par with this, and said, “Okay go through that experience.” Because county cricket is challenging. You’re playing four days, you’re driving from one end to the other, get two days break and then you’re playing a game, so it’s constant travel bowling and you are challenged physically and mentally.

“You play as a pro all. So, you have a lot of responsibility, expected to pick wickets, expected to win matches, so that added responsibility is always there. So obviously you have to be on top of the game, you can’t be below par in any of the game, so you have to keep pushing yourself, right? I think that stint also has helped him because he’s come a very different bowler. He’s confident now.”

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