Bumrah: 'One of those days when what I was executing was working' – T20 IPL 2024

It didn’t end perfectly for Jasprit Bumrah against RCB. His final ball, the last of the 19th over, went sailing over extra cover for six off Dinesh Karthik‘s bat. What was 5 for 15 off 3.5 overs became 5 for 21 off four. Anyone would take those figures in a total of 196, but not Bumrah, who went out of his way to say he was “still a little disappointed” with that delivery.

That ball was an aberration on a day when almost everything Bumrah dished up after Mumbai Indians opted to bowl against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede was spectacular.

“Yeah, it was a good day, you know, one of those days when mostly what I was executing was working,” Bumrah told the broadcaster after RCB’s innings. “And the wicket was a little sticky, so I was trying to look at my options. Still a little disappointed of my last ball, but yeah, that’s the way T20 cricket goes.”

RCB’s run rate was 9.80. Bumrah went at 5.25. Mohammad Nabi, who bowled just the one over – the first of the innings – was the second-most economical at 7.00.

“So, when the first over was bowled, I saw Nabi bhai‘s ball was gripping a little bit, so I decided that it might not be a straight, flat type [pitch] in the beginning,” Bumrah said of his plan. “[Once] 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’ve been doing this for 11 years here, so I have now been used to being ready whenever the situation demands. 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”

Jasprit Bumrah on staying connected to the game despite being off the attack

In his first over, the third of the innings, Virat Kohli tried to swing a length ball away towards midwicket, but only got an edge through to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps. Job done for the moment, Bumrah was taken off, saved for tougher times. He returned in the 11th, with Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar in their 30s, both on the way to half-centuries. He gave away just four runs. Taken off again. Back again in the 17th, Patidar having fallen in the meanwhile, Bumrah sent in a low full-toss that du Plessis could only send to Tim David at long-on, and next ball, a toe-crusher of a yorker had Mahipal Lomror lbw, and in a little discomfort. Just four runs again off that over.

“I’ve been doing this for 11 years here, so I have now been used to being ready whenever the situation demands,” Bumrah said asked about going out of the attack for long periods and being expected to pick up wickets whenever asked to. “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.”

Bumrah’s last over, the 19th, only went for nine runs, despite that six. Before that, Bumrah completed his five-for with the wickets of Saurav Chauhan and Vijaykumar Vyshak, off consecutive balls again.

Is he at his best at the moment, at the peak of his powers? “I don’t want to get too high or too low with bad days and good days,” Bumrah said. “Yes, it feels very happy. Yes, I’ve been able to contribute and it’s going well. But I want to keep my feet on the ground, stay humble and work hard. Because this game is the greatest leveller. I want to keep working hard and try to focus on the games ahead.”

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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