How Pujara, Gill Convinced Jasprit Bumrah To Play FIFA: 'Won't Take Any Catches'
News18
Cheteshwar Pujara has shared some wholesome insights into how Jasprit Bumrah is off the field. Speaking to the BBC, he narrated how in Bumrah's early years with the Test team, the team's FIFA group had to threaten him that they wouldn't take any catches off his bowling, just to convince the pacer to play the video game.
Pujara covered a lot about Bumrah in the piece, how he was quicker than most Indian pacers in his initial years, and how his action made it difficult even for slip fielders. The former India number three said that off the field, Bumrah was reserved and introverted, who loved to spend as much time by himself in his room as possible.
'There was a group of us – myself, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and former wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha – who would always be playing Fifa on the PlayStation while on tour and whenever we invited Jasprit it was hard work getting him there," Pujara said. 'In the end we had to joke that we wouldn't take any catches off his bowling if he didn't come. Bumrah needed the help of a good partner when playing Fifa – as a gamer he's not up to much – but it was on his first tour of England in 2018 when he went up another level as a bowler."
Bumrah took 14 wickets in three Tests on that tour (his second Test series) and is yet to look back, becoming arguably the greatest pacer India has seen, with 217 scalps at 19.49.
'In the dressing room he is always watching the game. Most fast bowlers come off the field and relax with their feet up. He does relax but he always has an eye on the field. When I used to sit next to him he would always be giving an input on what our batters or the opposition could be doing differently, which is why he was viewed as a candidate to be captain before India appointed Shubman Gill," Pujara said.
'Most people talk about Bumrah's skills with the ball, his angle or his action but his biggest strength is often overlooked. He has a brilliant cricket brain which comes from his time in the IPL. There he worked with people like former Sri Lanka bowler Lasith Malinga and has gained the skills to outsmart a batter. His first instinct is always to bowl his best ball but if a batter gets in he knows all of their strengths and weaknesses. He has taken the skills from white-ball cricket to become the complete Test bowler," he added.
Gill is leading and Bumrah has played two Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India trails the series 2-1 wit the fourth game at
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First Published:
July 21, 2025, 16:16 IST
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