On 23 January, Bumrah was a bundle of nerves at the top of his run in Sydney. There were players who came to encourage him, but they left within seconds. He was there, again, all alone. Wanting to live his dream. Aspiring to take wickets, to win matches for his country.
He bowled a good first spell, getting captain Steve Smith in the process. But, India had got him for the death. They wanted to see what he could do there.
Normally, MS Dhoni's smile fades as the innings progresses. as the death nears. For, he knows that India are going to be hammered at the death.
Today, during that end overs phase, Dhoni flashes a toothy grin. Bumrah, the new guy, has been bowling yorkers ball after ball, on demand. On off, on the middle. Swinging in, going away. He has the entire variety and he's not taken too long to show it.
James Faulkner is bowled by a massive inswinging one. It's not something you're used to with India. Seeing toes and stumps being crushed.
But, things change. And for India, Bumrah is the symbol of that change. For India, Bumrah is the change, that change.
To silence those people who still had doubts, in the following T20I's, Bumrah bowls even better than in Sydney, under much more pressure, still crushing toes and beliefs that Indians can't bowl the yorker.
It feels different. It feels nice. To see an Indian bowler cherish the opportunity of bowling at the death. To see an Indian bowler bowling yorkers, on demand.
Indian bowlers have bowled yorkers in the past. Not consistently, not under pressure, though. And therein lies the difference. Bumrah can handle the big stage. He can be comfortable with himself despite being in a team full of stars and loud personalities. He can handle the pressure. He can deliver no matter how important a match it is, no matter how dire the team's situation is.
This is why he's better at what he does than anyone else in the country. He has that ice cool temperament. Those nerves of steel.
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As he takes a wicket in the first T20I at Adelaide, the first one jumping onto him is Virat Kohli. He's been seen chatting with him more than anyone else. Encouraging him, telling him to take it easy, telling him to be.
After one of Bumrah's better yorkers, he lifts both his eyebrows up. This time, the gesture is not dismissive. It's one of respect, one of being in awe.
Captain Dhoni sees him as India's best. So does heir apparent Kohli. He's India's biggest hope. He's also their only one.
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