The most precious back when it comes to the Indian bowling attack is ready for some action again. On Friday, when India play Ireland in the first of three T20Is in Malahide, Jasprit Bumrah will make his return after eleven months. That too as captain.
The unorthodox right arm pace bowler suffered a lower back stress fracture last year, after which he had surgery. Bumrah, 29, has over 319 wickets for India across three formats but he is more than the sum of his parts. His variety, ranging from the fast and short stuff to slower ones and yorkers, plants doubts in the minds of batters and that is often half the battle won. He will be absolutely key for India at the World Cup.
The series in Ireland will throw up clues if Bumrah can take the load of full-time cricket again. Till then, here are five of his best T20I performances.
January 2016, 3/ 23 against Australia, Adelaide
It was Bumrah’s T20I debut, and he made it count. David Warner, James Faulkner and Cameron Boyce were his scalps. Warner mistimed a pull off a hurrying short ball and was caught at mid-on, a pattern of dismissal for many batsmen when faced Bumrah. India won the game by 37 runs, which was the Vegemite on the cake for Bumrah.
June 2016, 3/11 against Zimbabwe, Harare
No doubt the opposition was weak, but this is Bumrah’s best performance statistically in a T20 International and therefore merits inclusion. Bumrah was almost unplayable at the Harare Sports Club Ground. The pick of his wickets was Peter Moor, who had reached 31 and was leading a minor recovery for the hosts. But a slower one from Bumrah outwitted him and he was caught at point. Elton Chigumbura and No. 9 Neville Madziva were his other victims, both clean-bowled. India won easily. As well as Bumrah bowled, he was overshadowed by debutant Barinder Sran, who took 4/10 and was named Player of the match.
February 2020, 3/12 against New Zealand, Mount Maunganui
India were unstoppable on the tour and swept the series 5-0 by winning in Mount Maunganui. Bumrah was at his sensational best as he first trapped Martin Guptill leg before, although he got a bit lucky with the decision as the ball could have gone above the stumps. But there was no luck involved when his vicious yorker sent back Daryl Mitchell and Tim Southee. Bumrah was named Player of the Match.
February 2017, 3/14 against England, Bengaluru
It was Yuzvendra Chahal’s day as the leggie took an improbable six for 25. But it was not a bad outing for Bumrah either. A choke-hold of a short delivery induced a top edge from the dangerous Jos Buttler. Bumrah followed that up with dismissals of Liam Plunkett and Tymal Mills as India won the encounter by 75 runs and the series 2-1.
February 2019, 3/16 against Australia, Vizag
It was a thriller which Australia won by scampering two on the last ball. But Bumrah almost won it for India by taking two successive wickets on the last two balls of the 19th overs. He got Peter Handscomb to top-edge one and then yorked Nathan Coulter Nile. Earlier, Bumrah sent back captain Aaron Finch with one that hooked back in, a type of delivery that Finch never quite was comfortable facing.