Jasprit Bumrah‘s exceptional bowling performances have been instrumental in Mumbai Indians’ resurgence in the IPL this season. After a shaky start with three consecutive losses, Mumbai Indians have bounced back with two consecutive wins, largely due to Bumrah’s impactful contributions on the field.

“So, when the first over was bowled, I saw Nabi bhai’s ball was gripping a little bit, so I realised that it might not be a straight, flat deck in the beginning,” He said.

He also added, “When the dew sets in, I guess the length ball will become better, so I kept that in mind, I wanted to stick to my strengths, I wanted to bowl a good, hard length. That worked today.

“I do my research, I see where the batter is strong…”

Bumrah said, “Sometimes the wicket is sticky, you don’t need to always bowl a yorker. Sometimes you can use your bouncer, you can use your slower ball, so you don’t need to use all tricks on one day. You have to understand where the game is going, what kind of a wicket (it is), there is no ego in this format. Even if you bowl 145 but if the wicket demands you to bowl slower balls, you have to do that. Can’t be a one-tricky pony where you just aim at the stumps and go hunting.”

In both recent victories, which saw high-scoring matches, Bumrah stood out as the standout bowler. Remarkably, he was the only bowler across teams in these matches to maintain an economy rate of less than six runs per over. This consistency and effectiveness have been crucial in Mumbai Indians’ recent successes. “I’ve been doing this for 11 years here, so I have now been used to being ready whenever the situation demands,” he pointed out. “You use your experience, you keep an eye on where the game is heading, because what happened in the end, dew set in, so the wicket got a little better and the ball started skidding on. So all of these things, you try to get involved in the game and you try to help others as well.”

“This format is very harsh on the bowler…”

In the latest match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 11, Bumrah showcased his brilliance by securing his second five-wicket haul in IPL history. His ability to perform consistently well despite bowling his four overs in different phases of the innings highlights his adaptability and versatility.

“So you have to have all kinds of skills. This is what I train for. That come this situation, I should have different options. I should not be a one-trick pony. I should just not rely on my yorker because there will be days where my execution is off so I can rely on another delivery. So this is what I had worked on early on in my career as well. Everybody’s doing their research, data and all of that comes in. So people start to line you up. So I wanted to have different skills so very happy that I could use it,” he added.

Currently leading the wicket-taking charts in the tournament, Bumrah’s exceptional performance stands out even more given the high-scoring nature of this season’s IPL matches. His economy rate of below six runs per over is particularly impressive in a season where bowlers have faced significant challenges.

He lastly added, “Bowling is tough because you will have to take a beating, you will have to have bad days to learn from it. What I have done in the past is that whenever I’ve had a bad day, whatever has not worked, next day with a calm mind, I’ve seen the videos. ‘What does not work, why did it not work? What is the way I’ve been playing?’ So all of these things, you have to be with the curve because nowadays you just cannot come on the day and say ‘okay, I’ll do this, maybe this will work.’ So you’re hoping for success. For me, preparation is always the key. When you prepare hard, you put yourself under pressure in the nets, you bowl to batters who can hit big sixes. You bowl to them, you see how you react to stress, you see how you react to pressure. Then you find start finding answers so that is very, very important for me to keep pushing myself in training. Then on game day you have answers that, okay, when I had similar pressure in training, I had answers.”

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Bumrah attributes his success to his skillset and meticulous preparation for different challenges. His dedication and hard work are evident in his performances on the field, showcasing his commitment to excellence and contributing significantly to Mumbai Indians’ resurgence in the IPL.