It’s not for nothing Jasprit Bumrah is considered one of the finest fast bowlers in the world. Arguably among the most skilful pacers India has produced, Bumrah has made it a point to torment the batters across the globe with his tactical acumen.
So, when he says he fears no batters, it doesn’t really come as a surprise. After being out of action for a while due to a back injury, Bumrah made his comeback in style in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and has maintained an exceptional economy rate for Mumbai Indians.
The fast bowling ace admits that staying positive has been the key to his success. “I don’t really fear anyone (any batter). Of course, I do respect the game, and I do respect every individual that plays the game. But if I give the mental edge to the batter that I’m scared of him, or that he’s better than me, then I’ve already lost the battle,” Bumrah said on Sunday during a select meet and greet organised by Castrol.
From left to right: Mumbai Indians players Naman Dhir, Will Jacks and Jasprit Bumrah during a select meet and greet organised by Castrol in Mumbai on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
From left to right: Mumbai Indians players Naman Dhir, Will Jacks and Jasprit Bumrah during a select meet and greet organised by Castrol in Mumbai on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As his Mumbai Indians teammates – Naman Dhir and Will Jacks – listened to him in awe, Bumrah added: “Even if I’ve had a bad day, or if I have gone for runs, in my head and in my effort, nobody’s going to beat me. So, that is what I’ve always learned to do. In cricket, you can’t control everything, and every day is not going to be your day, but you do the processes right, you believe in yourself, and you give your absolute best…”
“After that, whatever result comes your way, that was meant to be. So, that’s how I look at the game. I’ll give it my absolute best. After that, I’ll accept the results,” he stated.
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From being another rookie bowler, who debuted for Mumbai Indians in an IPL game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in April 2013, Bumrah has come a long way. In this journey – in which he has picked 205 Test wickets – he has taken advice from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar quite seriously.
In his first season with the franchise, Tendulkar had advised Bumrah not to be bogged down by a batter. “When I came here, Sachin Tendulkar was still playing. It was his last year. Initially, when a 19-year-old comes into this atmosphere and sees such legends of the game everywhere, the level of cricket is so high and so different from under-19 cricket. I was a little overwhelmed. But when I played my first game, before starting the game, he told me that ‘Don’t look at the individual. Bowl to the batsman, not to the name.’
That helped me quite a lot,” Bumrah reminisced.
“I know they are big players, and they have got a big reputation, but at the end of the day, on the ground, don’t look at their name. There is one individual against you. This is what I was focusing on and that advice has stayed with me that whenever you play a game or you are under pressure, the other person is also under pressure. Treat it like a normal game, do not get too overawed by the reputation or any other circumstances that you cannot control,” the 31-year-old added.
Bumrah also mentioned that he was happy to see Mumbai Indians being placed second on the points table in the current edition of the IPL despite a sloppy start.
Shrugging off the initial disappointments, the franchise returned to winning ways and looks well on course to storm into yet another playoffs. “We, as a team, started a bit slow. But ahead of the business end of the tournament, we peaked at the right time. It’s a very good sign for us as we are not dependent on one individual to win us the game,” Bumrah said.
“In every game, someone or the other is putting their hands up and taking the team through the line. It’s a good start, and now that the business end has started, it’s going to be even more fierce. There are more interesting games coming up and hopefully, better things will follow…”
Mumbai Indians will take on Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
