Jasprit.

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Jasprit Bumrah.


What is there left to say? One-of-one. A bowler from the Gods. An era-defining cricketer. A class act.


Writers more talented than me have attempted to describe his genius and fell short. He is so good, he defies description. That said, I am still going to give a shot at explaining the genius of  Jasprit Bumrah.


India has traditionally been a blessed batting country. Sachin Tendulkar. Rohit Sharma. Virat Kohli. We have had more batting talents in the past 30 years than some countries have in their entire lifetimes. As Indians, I feel we always find it harder to appreciate a bowler in such a batting-crazy country. It is seldom that bowlers are termed “match-winners” in this country. It is always the batter who steals the limelight. Amidst this context, it is even more remarkable that a bowler has emerged as India’s greatest matchwinner in recent history. A prodigious talent with an unorthodox action, he has always shown promise. But, since he came back from the injury in 2023, he has performed at a level I have not seen in my 10+ years of following cricket. 


Just to give a taste of his genius, in the 2023 CWC, he went under 4RPO. In the modern era. Against some of the most destructive ODI batting lineups seen. In the 2024 home Test season, he took 27 wickets in 5 matches @ 15.07. In the 2024 IPL, he went at 6.5RPO. Six. Point. Five. The same tournament where run-scoring records were being broken for fun. In this 2024 T20 WC, he has taken more wickets than he has conceded boundaries. Read that again. 15 wickets taken. 12 boundaries conceded. If I hadn’t verified these stats before, I would’ve thought they were from a video game. 


But stats only tell half the story. Across all formats, Bumrah is now operating at a frankly absurd level. Captains now trust him to deliver the magic moments almost as a matter of fact. Need to defend 40 off 36 against your arch rivals? Throw the ball to Bumrah and he’ll take out the main threat. Need to force the result on a 5th day Test? He will produce a 120kph offspinner that is so perfect it should be framed. Have to defend a below-par total against the reigning world champions? Bumrah hai, na. 


Which brings me to the T20 World Cup final, again. With 177 to defend, India always needed powerplay wickets. Bumrah gets to work in the 2nd over of the South African innings. Straight into the act, produces a test-match ball to get Reeza Hendricks bowled. Pitching middle, deviating just enough to kiss the top of off-stump. A dream delivery to get things rolling.


By the time he is brought back into the attack, Klaasen has destroyed the Indian spin attack, and South Africa need just 22 off 18 with Miller and Jansen on the crease. The logical thing for SA to do here is to just see him off. 22 off 12 Bumrah-less balls is fairly straightforward in a T20 run chase. The over starts off with 2 dots, and then a run. 21 off 15, and Jansen is on strike. Under no run pressure. He just needs to play it out. Now, Bumrah again unveils his genius. Produces an absolute peach to beat Jansen on defence. With a white ball. In a T20. An absolute pearler to get South Africa’s last recognised batter out, and eventually their hopes of ending their World Cup hoodoo.


Bumrah finishes with a remarkable 4-0-18-2, with 14 dot balls and 2 boundaries conceded. In a chase of 177. I know these numbers might sound normal to you now, but it is only because Jasprit Bumrah has made them seem normal. Let me assure you: they are not. To perform at this level, game after game, regardless of format, conditions, match situations, and the opposition, is a true sign you are cut from a different cloth. With him in your team, as a fan, you believe you always have a chance, no matter how far behind you think you are in the game. 


That Jasprit Bumrah is unbelievably talented is common knowledge, But his is a special type of “unbelievable”, one that I am certain will never be emulated by anyone playing this sport ever again.


There are a lot of bowlers you may aspire to become one day. Jasprit Bumrah is not one of them.


He’s simply so good that he defies aspiration.




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