Worshipping Batters To Idolising Bowlers; Bumrah The Man Behind Changing The Tide Of Indian Cricket

Probuddha Bhattacharjee∙ Updated: Nov 22 2024, 6:28 PM | 4 Min Read

Jasprit Bumrah caused a landslide of the Australian batting line in the first Test at Perth [Source: @ICC/x.com]

On the first day of Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, India has witnessed brilliance at its height from the standing Indian skipper, Jasprit Bumrah. The ace pacer scripted a dramatic comeback with a brilliant spell.

The visitors look done and dusted in the game as they were bundled out for 150 runs in the first innings. As the home team walked out to bat, the Indian spectators were fearing another feeble show by their favourite team. However, the captain of the team, Jasprit Bumrah had something else in mind. 

The star Indian pacer got rid of the first three batter very quickly and had Australia reeling at 19/3 by the seventh over. His brilliance lifted the whole unit and India with a spectacular performance got Australia under the mat at 67/7 by the end of day 1. 

Bumrah's performance in the recent times along with Ravichandran Ashwin's brilliance, especially in home Tests had shifted the focus of common Indian cricket followers to bowlers. Let us look at how this shift has happened.

Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Dravid: The Idols Of Indian Cricket

India has been lucky as the supporters has been graced by the presence of some of the best batters in cricketing history like - Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. 

Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni [Source: @SelflessCricket, @ameye_17, @CrickeTendulkar/x.com]

While Gavaskar became the first man to score 10,000 Test runs in Test cricket. As Gavaskar's era passed, Sachin Tendulkar dominated the world of cricket. By the time, the 'God of Cricket' retired from the game, he had almost all the batting records to his name. The vacuum created by the great man's absence was soon filed by the flamboyance of Virat Kohli. He defined consistency in his own terms and transcended newer margins.

Besides these great names there have some brilliant match winners like - MS Dhoni, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and many more. The point here is Indian viewers have always seen batters doing great things and winning them games. This is where the culture of worshipping batters came from. The batters were elevated to a stage where the achievements of bowlers like Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble only got passing mentions. 

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Ravichandran Ashwin: India's Biggest Match Winner In Home Tests

This notion of batters being the best match winners was defied many times by Anil Kumble during his career. However, in the recent times a particular bowler through his displays in home tests has garnered even more support. 
Ravichandran Ashwin has picked up 383 wickets in home Tests in 65 matches at an average of 21.57. The off-spinner has been a hero of many Tests at home and has made people realise that it is the bowlers who win you matches.

Jasprit Bumrah: Transcending The Horizons Of Brilliance

Do you remember the 2024 T20 World Cup Final. South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls to deny India off another world title. Who came to the rescue? Let me remind you, Bumrah picked up the wicket of Marco Jansen and conceded only two runs in the 18th over. Yes, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh aided him brilliantly, but it was the potential of Bumrah and is sheer brilliance that led India to the title win. 

Besides, this there have been many T20Is, where Bumrah have titled the game in India's favour with his guile, variations and match awareness. The recent effort against Australia is just an addition to the many accolades of the great man. 

Conclusion

Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin are two players who have literally shifted the focus of the Indian viewers. A lay man is gradually realising the saying - 'It is the bowlers who win you matches'. In the last 10-12 years, India has produced more quality pacers than they have in their entire history so far. Besides, pacers there are some talented spinners who are also budding during this phase.

The change in the dreams of a youngster to become a Sachin or Kohli to become a Bumrah or Ashwin has occurred and it is a sign of the Indian viewers have become practically literate in cricket. 

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