'One Good Delivery and...': How Sachin Tendulkar's Pep Talk Inspired Debutant Jasprit Bumrah to Dismiss Virat Kohli

Sachin Tendulkar’s advice inspired Bumrah to register his best figures on debut in 2013

From being just another uncapped fast bowler in the Mumbai Indians camp to establishing himself as the leader of Team India’s bowling attack, Jasprit Bumrah has come a long way in the last 11 years. Back in 2013, when he made his IPL debut under the leadership of Ricky Ponting, he was an unknown individual until he trapped Virat Kohli in front to pick up his first wicket in the cash-rich tournament. His journey since then has been inspirational and needless to say what he has achieved for his country and the IPL franchise.

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Just like Kohli, Bumrah has played for one single franchise so far in his IPL career. As the two stalwarts of Indian cricket will face each other on Wednesday night at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Bumrah recalled his first-ever IPL game, against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013.

In a video uploaded on JioCinema, TV presenter Sanjana Ganesan, who’s also Bumrah’s better half, asked the fast bowler if he had ever bowled the perfect delivery in the tournament. In reply, the 30-year-old said there’s nothing like a perfect delivery in the game of cricket but a bowler does remember his first wicket.

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“There’s no perfect delivery in cricket Every ball is a wicket-taking delivery. Anything can happen in T20 cricket. But the first wicket is very important. I remember I had not played a lot of cricket at night. It’s mostly day games in domestic circuit and I didn’t understand the concept of ground being wet and due being there. So, my first three deliveries went for three boundaries and fourth ball, I got the wicket of Virat Kohli,” Bumrah told Ganesan during the conversation.

The pacer further recalled getting a useful piece of advice from master blaster Sachin Tendulkar who was a part of MI playing XI back then. Bumrah was facing difficulty in pitching the ball where he wanted to and slipping while running up. But Sachin asked him not to worry much and bowl one good bowl which can change the course of the game.

“I was slipping at that time and was not being able to land the ball where I wanted to. Sachin sir was at mid-off and I spoke to him about it. He told me, ‘Don’t worry about it. One good delivery and the match will be different.’

“And that’s exactly what happened. I took three wickets and I thanked God because that assurance was needed at that time,” Bumrah added.

Bumrah had returned 3 for 32 on his debut, removing Kohli, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair as RCB posted 156/5 in 20 overs at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In reply, Dinesh Karthik scored a 37-ball 60 but his knock went in vain as MI lost the game by 2 runs.