Jasprit Bumrah Opens Up: ‘Aggressive but Never Starts a Sledge’

Jasprit Bumrah Opens Up: It was a high-hearted, high-octane end-of-the-day surprise on day one of the fifth and final Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The tussle between Jasprit Bumrah and 19-year-old Sam Konstas proved that both will have a face-off as the Indian bowler celebrated at the end of the day after bowling Usman Khawaja with the last ball of the day.

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Normally an incredibly docile and level-headed character, Bumrah was bothered by something said by Konstas in the final over and quick to let him know after making an important first breakthrough for India. To the barrage of Bumrah, there were also Prasidh Krishna, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Virat Kohli willing to jeer at the young lad after the wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

While Bumrah quibbles, he yaps in an interview with Forbes India for their Showstoppers 2024 segment, and nothing less than such upbringing invites in him the spirit of fight as a junior cricketer.

“I am aggressive, it’s just that I don’t need to go and abuse the batsman, because when I was a kid I saw the bowlers on the television screaming and shouting and going head-to-head,” explained India’s strike bowler and captain for this match. “When I tried it I became too aggressive, when I tried to play in club cricket it didn’t work in my favour.”

“When I realised that I go overboard, to control that I consciously worked on it,” he reflected. “When I’m nice and calm and relaxed, people don’t know what’s going on in my head, so that gives me a mental advantage. That helps me to stay calm, make better decisions.”

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‘I’m not there to give throwdowns…'

Bumrah has further opined that because cricket is weighed heavily in favour of the batsman, the bowler must be aggressive in the mindset required: “And I am aggressive, I’m not there to give throwdowns to batters to hit. I’m there to do my job and make my team win. But my way of aggression is different, I don’t need to abuse, but my body language and the way I run in and bowl, that is how I want to show aggression.”

He was also asked if he chooses to sledge, to which Bumrah replied that he does not hide yet does not seek it, which seems to be with Konstas, who has turned himself into some kind of upstart in this series. “I obviously won’t lie, it happens. But I don’t start it,” said Bumrah. “But when it comes my way, I don’t back down as well, because that is how I started playing. It is very easy for me to start that battle, but I don’t do it consciously because I want to be in my zone or my moment.”

They have set themselves at 9-1 heading in overnight seeking the target of 185 runs made by India. Bumrah and co. would wish to live in hope that the pitch has enough spice to make things interesting after another relatively subdued batting display.

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