Such is Jasprit Bumrah’s standard that former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey does not feel the need to advise him. Arguably the most complete bowler in the world across all three formats, Bumrah recently picked up 15 wickets as India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and bagged the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award. Mhambrey has candidly confessed that while he would love to make a name by being known as Bumrah’s coach, the reality is that Bumrah is a “once-in-a-generation” talent.
“What better than Bumrah bowling and I taking the credit? But I don’t. He is a once-in-a-generation bowler,” Mhambrey said, speaking to Vimal Kumar in an interview on the latter’s YouTube channel.
“Bumrah remembers when a batter hit him for a boundary two years ago. He is very competitive and constantly wants to improve. We have to be very smart in handling and preserving him,” said Mhambrey.
Mhambrey served as the bowling coach of Team India during Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach, from November 2021 till the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup. During his stint as bowling coach, Mohammed Shami finished as the leading wicket-taker of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and Arshdeep Singh took the most wickets in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, Bumrah is still the one who stood out.
“When I talk to him, I realise that he has a very clear mindset and knows what he is going to do. He understands when a batter is uncomfortable facing him. He then tries to exploit the situation. He will pick up small nuances to guess what the batter is trying to do,” said Mhambrey.
“Be it red ball, ODI, or T20s, he is No. 1,” stated Mhambrey.
Bumrah’s phenomenal T20 World Cup saw him bag 15 wickets at an astonishing economy of merely 4.17. More importantly, Bumrah stepped up when it mattered most, creating a sense of inevitability about his threat. Be it against Pakistan in the group stage, against Australia in the Super 8 or against South Africa in the final, Bumrah’s four overs always created a difference.
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