Curated By: Aakash Biswas
Last Updated: August 18, 2023, 10:10 IST
Jasprit Bumrah last played a match in September 2022. (Reuters Photo)
In the absence of the senior pros, Jasprit Bumrah will inspire the group of youngsters to achieve success in the Ireland tour before they head to China for the Asian Games
Jasprit Bumrah is returning to international cricket after a lengthy 11-month injury layoff. A stress fracture in his back kept him away from action and despite repeated attempts, he couldn’t make an early comeback. But better late than never. After working at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Bumrah is raring to go against Ireland in the first T20I on Friday and is in no mood to hold himself back.
The right-arm quick is the designated captain for the three-match T20I series and in the absence of the senior pros, Bumrah will aim to lead the group of youngsters to achieve success in the tour before they head to China for the Asian Games.
Ahead of the series opener, captain Bumrah addressed the pre-match press conference and gave an update on his physical condition.
“All good, very happy to be back. Have been working very hard at the NCA. It’s been a long road but yeah, very happy to be back. I’m looking forward to it,” Bumrah said on the eve of the first T20I in Dublin.
The 29-year-old’s potential return was one of the most discussed topics during his time away in these 11 months with even skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid accepting that not having the speedster at their disposal has hurt them. But Bumrah kept himself away from the weight of expectations. As he is fit now, he just wants to enjoy the game.
“I respect their opinion but irrespective they are good or bad, I don’t take anyone’s opinion seriously. I don’t want to put myself under pressure. I don’t put unnecessary expectations on me. I am coming back after a long time, I want to enjoy it now. I’m not thinking that I have to contribute a lot or I will change everything. I’m coming with minimal expectations. If others are expecting, it’s their problem, not mine,” Bumrah said.
After missing a couple of high-profile tournaments – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 and the World Test Championship final 2023 – and a handful of bilateral series, Bumrah confirmed that he will be able to bowl full tilt in a much-needed relief for fans ahead of the 2023 World Cup in October-November later this year.
“You have to respect your body and give it time to recover. But what it does is makes you hungry. I understood the moment my body recovered; I could do that little bit extra. I’m not holding back. I have had many net sessions. Not just at NCA, but even back home with the Gujarat team. I have no restrictions. The body feels good,” Bumrah said.
