It was Jasprit Bumrah’s dream to play Test cricket: Bharat Arun

Jasprit Bumrah is the highest-ranked Indian bowler in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings and finds himself at seventh spot. His numbers in the longest format of the game are exceptional, having scalped 68 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of just 20.33.

But, sometime before his Test debut against South Africa in 2018, Jasprit Bumrah was believed to be a limited-overs specialist. It wasn’t really surprising that many percieved Bumrah to be a limited-overs bowler, since the pacer truly came into the limelight after his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Mumbai Indians.

It was the duo of head coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun who gambled on trying out Jasprit Bumrah in the Test match arena and the rest they say is history.

India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun, while speaking to Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda’s Facebook page, gave insights into the phenom that is Jasprit Bumrah.

“It is very unfair to say that I picked Bumrah. The truth was that Shastri felt that Bumrah could be really effective in South Africa. When I spoke to Bumrah, he said it was his dream to play in Tests,” Bharat Arun revealed in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

“Bumrah in his heart always wanted to be Test match bowler and he was prepared to give anything for it. There were some who felt he was a limited-overs specialist but we believed in his ability,” the bowling coach felt.

Legendary Indian paceman and former India captain Kapil Dev believes that Jasprit Bumrah’s strength is his quick arm action. Bharat Arun elaborated on the Gujarat pacer’s unique action.

“Bumrah in the last few strides gives it everything. He doesn’t generate lot of momentum in his run-up, that’s why he is so deceptive. Unlike most fast bowlers who have a bent arm and then use the long lever, Bumrah is the opposite. Bumrah starts with a longer lever, that can be really effective but not all bowlers can do it," the 57-year-old coach said.

Furthermore, Bharat Arun also opened up on how Jasprit Bumrah is constantly plotting the downfall of opposing batsmen and how he is not afraid to try out new ideas.

“He is a very thinking bowler, always asking questions. During net situations, he is always asking for suggestions. He is willing to try different angles – close or away from stumps – but doing that he doesn’t allow batsmen to settle down. He is always looking for feedback and always willing to try,” the former Tamil Nadu paceman added.

Jasprit Bumrah has proved to be a team man to the core

In addition to this, Jasprit Bumrah, who has 104 ODI and 59 T20 wickets to his name, is also a team man to the core. Coach Bharat Arun recounted an incident from the Australian tour in 2018-19.

“Bumrah bowled fabulously in both innings in Perth. At end of Test match, though he would have been hurt but he said that by bowling well he was able to keep pressure on their batsmen. As things would stand, in the next Test he ended up taking nine wickets,” the coach said.