When in trouble, dial Jasprit Bumrah

Mint

3 days ago

Jasprit Bumrah has now played 11 games in IPL 2025. He has 18 wickets in those 11 games, and he's gone at a frankly ridiculous economy rate of 6.36. He didn't pick a wicket in his first game back - against RCB - but in every game since then he's had at least one scalp. And the pressure he creates by choking runs has brought several wickets at the other end. He's done it over after over, game after game, tournament after tournament.
He did it again versus Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator, taking 1 for 27 in four overs as Mumbai Indians won a high-scoring game by 20 runs.
He now produces magic so often that people almost no longer ask, 'How is he doing it?' To make the extraordinary look like a regular day in the office - that is the mark of genius.
It is a familiar sight for cricket fans all over the world. The batting team are looking comfortable, and the match seems to be drifting away from the bowling team. And then the captain calls on Bumrah. Suddenly, the batters can't coast anymore. Suddenly, a match that appeared to be theirs for the taking has slipped from their grasp.
That all-too-familiar script played out when the Titans were mounting a serious challenge to Mumbai's 228 for 5. They were 148 for 2 in 13 overs (Mumbai had been 143 for 2 at the same stage), with Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar in ominous touch. Both batters were finding the boundary every over, and neither appeared troubled by any of the other Mumbai bowlers. That meant of course that it was time for captain Hardik Pandya to do what he, and several others, have always done. Give the ball to Bumrah and let a miracle happen.
Bumrah gave up just four runs, and took out Washington rather spectacularly. A searing yorker tailing in late to leave the batter on the floor, and the stumps out of the ground.
As Hardik would say after the game when asked how he decides which overs Bumrah should bowl, 'It's very simple: whenever you think the game is going far, just get him! When you have him it's a luxury, it's like Mumbai housing prices. He's that expensive!
'When I have him in our team, whenever the situation feels a little tough and the game is going far, I just throw him the ball and he does the magical stuff he does always.'
Bumrah's quota of magic wasn't yet done. The Titans were still trying to make a fist of it, and heavy dew in Mullanpur meant most bowlers found it hard to grip the ball. Most, but not Bumrah. With 45 needed in three overs, it was time to put the game on ice and ensure enough runs for other bowlers to defend in the last two.
Despite conceding a rare six in that 18th over, Bumrah went for only 9 runs.
'I was just watching the scoreboard and I thought if I can keep some extra runs at the end, I think I have the bowlers who can bowl it,' said Hardik, explaining why Bumrah was given the 18th over rather than the 19th. 'So it was important that Jassi comes and bowls that over and makes sure the margin becomes a bit longer. I just told him, you come and put the margin a little further so that it becomes easier for the others.'
He missed the first four games of the season, and even though he was coming from a long layoff, Bumrah has been seamlessly excellent since his return. He has the best economy rate of any bowler in the IPL since his return on April 7. And the second-most wickets. Bowler Matches Wickets Runs Average Economy Prasidh Krishna 11 20 378 18.9 8.6 Jasprit Bumrah 11 18 276 15.3 6.4 Trent Boult 11 18 367 20.4 9.3 Josh Hazlewood 8 15 246 16.4 8.7 Noor Ahmad 10 14 290 20.7 8.3
Looking at his performance and numbers, you would think Bumrah had never been away. Mumbai coach Mahela Jayawardene affirmed that, saying the team never had any concerns about how he would go after a long lay-off.
'There's definitely no concerns when he comes back. He was quite confident,' Jayawardene said. 'He had bowled in a few sessions, he was nailing those yorkers. He's a massive asset for us. The experience that he carries through to the team, and the situations that he has been bowling for us as well. It's great to have him around the group.'
Great for Mumbai no doubt - not so much for their opponents.