I love this sport – Jasprit Bumrah reveals his key motivation ahead of T20 World Cup

As India gears up for the T20 World Cup which will be collectively played in USA and West Indies, they will be relying heavily on their fast-bowling trio comprising pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh. 

In recent times, Jasprit Bumrah has proven time and time again why he is one of the finest in business. He shone bright in IPL 2024 with a tally of 20 wickets at an economy of 6.48, numbers that feel like gold dust in a fray where 200 seemed to be a below-par score.

Ever since his return from the injury, Bumrah has been an inexorable machine and his glistening pace load has left the batters bamboozled across every nook and cranny of the planet wherever he has set foot.

Talking to ICC ahead of India’s warm-up match against Bangladesh, Bumrah laid down the plans that he intends on delivering in the upcoming cricketing revelry. He said, “Since I have come back from my injury, I have only focused on enjoying the game as much as I can.”

He continued, “Because (certain) things will go my way. (Certain) things will not go my way. All of these things will be a part of my process. So I have just realised that I started playing this sport. Because I love this sport.”

Bumrah further added, “And I will focus on that rather than the end result. So in that aspect you reduce your pressure. And you enjoy the sport.When you focus on those things. Rather than the things you cannot control.”

India’s key pacer who has claimed 74 wickets in T20Is that took him to third position in India’s overall T20I wicket-taker list, also shed some light on one of the most potent options that he has mapped out since his return which has also helped him significantly in plundering more wickets.

Jassi said, “So I played a lot of tennis-ball, rubber-ball cricket when I was growing up. I used to play a lot with my friends in summer camps. And on summer vacations. Or whenever you used to get a lot of time. So when I was a kid, I used to think that this is the only way to get wickets. Because I was a fan of fast bowling. I was really fascinated by what I saw on the television. So I tried to replicate that.”

Bumrah continued, “Is it (tennis-ball cricket) a secret (to bowling yorkers) or not? I don't know. But repetition surely is. Because I have kept this delivery. I still practice it. I keep on practicing it. Because every skill that you develop, you have to practice it and make it stronger. So I think a combination of both would be the answer.”

When asked whether he has been involved heavily in terms of mentoring the other pacers as well, the pace ace continued, “You don't try to over-teach. That is something that I have learned. Because whenever people need help, I let them have their own questions.”

He concluded by saying, “Or if they need my help. Because you don't want to give too much information. It's not like they have just been lucky and they land here. So that is what I try to do. I do pass on certain information that I have gained over from my experience. But I don't try to burden them with (over) information. Because that is a part of the journey as well. That you have to find your own ways and solutions.”