"Who Would've Thought...": Jasprit Bumrah Opens Up On Olympic Dreams
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah recently shared candid insights into the challenges of playing across formats, maintaining physical fitness, and his excitement about cricket's inclusion in the Olympics. Speaking to former Australian captain Michael Clarke on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Bumrah reflected on his journey, the evolving demands of international cricket, and his approach to the future. Acknowledging the physical toll of playing all three formats, Bumrah admitted that managing workload has become increasingly important. "Yeah, it is obviously tough for any individual to keep playing everything," Bumrah said. "I've been doing it for a while, but eventually you have to understand where your body is going and which tournament is more important. So you have to be a little selective and smart about how you use your body," he added.
Despite the rigours of modern cricket, Bumrah remains driven by passion.
"As a cricketer, I would never want to leave anything. I always want to keep going. Right now, I'm okay physically, but I don't set goals or I don't look at myself as if this is the number that I should be at and this is the time. I take things one day at a time," he said.
The 31-year-old fast bowler emphasised that he's learnt to listen to his body and not force expectations.
"The journey is going good so far. The day I realise the drive is gone, or the effort isn't there, or my body isn't holding up--that's when I'll take a call, but right now I'm okay," he noted.
Bumrah also expressed his excitement about cricket being included in the Olympics, something he never imagined when he began his career.
"I've heard cricket is coming to the Olympics, and that's something I'm really looking forward to. Who would've thought? It's very exciting. I'm looking forward to that whenever we get an opportunity to do," he added.
He concluded with a grounded perspective on his career and life.
"I don't set goals anymore because every time I have, I haven't been able to fulfil them. I try to enjoy the game because that's why I started playing it in the first place. I take it one day at a time and collect memories because at the end of it all, that's what I'll remember," he said.
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