Jasprit Bumrah: The dream that is breaking like his back

Jasprit Bumrah (PC: Twitter)

No one cares about how many wickets you take, neither how much pace you can generate nor how much you swing the leather, if you don't show up the next time. 

Speed, swing, accuracy, and brain, what else do you need in a fast bowler? Fitness. That would undoubtedly be the answer of Jasprit Bumrah right now. He would be cursing neither himself nor any of us but his luck that feels rotten for atleast this part of his career. 

The Class of 2016

Hardly anyone in the long history of India remembers a pacer (barring a few) who has had such an impact in the game for an enduring period. It is not just the masterly skill that makes him imperative but his cognizance on the field.

Bumrah's debut in itself is a fascinating story. When his flight landed in Sydney, there was no speculation of him playing in that match, even in his imaginative thoughts, but as fate would have had it, the journey was set to roll out in the dreamiest style. 

One's loss is the other's gain. And Bhuvneshwar's injury did give him the way. He was called up for the T20I series, but after a gruelling journey when he reached Australia, the right-armer debuted in the final ODI, for which he wasn't even in the squad.

Jasprit Bumrah (PC: Twitter)

The unorthodox-ness of his action isn't the only thing that bothers the batters, it's the wily nature of his deliveries. Although, none of the batters says they find him easy, but deep down, they all know that he is literally the toughest, when he is in the zone. 

Veteran James Anderson might not like him, or neither the rookie Marco Jansen or even some of the best talents in the world, but there is something that makes him highly admired even by the fiercest of his rivals, it's the determination. 

The importance of Bumrah is only realised when he is injured and easily so because you need an all-rounder, an all-rounder with the ball that bowls pin-point yorkers in the death, gets wickets in the middle and swings it with the new leather. And you know what Bumrah is more than that, he is the glue that holds India's bowling together.

Long Road with injuries

Jasprit Bumrah (PC: Twitter)

Shane Bond would have gone miles up in his career had it not been for his injuries, with nothing different for Shaun Tait. 

Just turn back the clock and remember what Shoaib Akhtar said, "His back won't be supporting him for longer", and none of us were in the mood to pay any heed.

You were wrong if you ever thought that man from Rawalpindi was 'just saying that'. Absolutely wrong. He felt all that because he was there. He was the Jasprit Bumrah 15 years back. He was the star that fell down from the sky, feeling the agonising pain of not his injuries but missing out on opportunities.

Unfortunately, the nature of this profession is infuriating to those who suffer. And they just elude from the limelight of that gleaming star on a gloomy night.

But if you ever feel that the star is fading, remember that darkness is only replaced by a star, that is, Sun. And Bumrah is the sun that will rise again tomorrow to remind everyone that he can once again be the superstar of this cricketing galaxy.

Also Read: Down the line, Part-1: The life of One-Day Cricket