Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t get “too happy” with praise, nor does he get “too down” when criticised. Remaining stable is his guiding force, regardless of how he performs in a game. “I enjoy every format. I try to do what I can. I respect what people say, but I don’t take it seriously. “I’m very grateful for the applause I get, but I always try to keep a stable head. That’s how I will always be,” the senior India pacer, who climbed up five spots to become the No.1 bowler in ODIs on Wednesday, said at the postmatch news conference after the first one-dayer against England at The Oval on Tuesday.
Just over a week ago, Bumrah was at the receiving end when Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow took the Indian bowling attack apart in the Birmingham Test. Thereafter, he struck twice and conceded only 10 runs off his three overs in the lone T20I he was a part of in the three-match series. And then came his best-ever bowling figures in 50-over cricket, as he demolished England, taking 6/19 in India’s emphatic 10-wicket win in the ODI series opener. Bumrah, though, has never judged his bowling based on the end results, he categorically mentioned.
“There have been instances when I have bowled so much better and still didn’t get wickets. But I always looked at following the same routine. One day you’ll see everything going in your favour. Another day you can try whatever you want, but it still may not work for you. That’s exactly why you need to keep a stable head.
“There will be days when you will get the edge first ball, while there will be days you will bowl similarly all day but not get a single edge. But you shouldn’t get desperate in such a scenario, and that’s why I rate stability a lot,” Bumrah emphasised. Living in the present matters a lot for the 28-year-old. “I live in the present because there is a lot of outside noise and opinions that can clutter your mind and create confusion. “So it’s important to stick to your own evaluation of your own self, stay focused on your own preparation and tick all the required boxes.”
Bumrah also touched upon the need to manage workload. “You need to remain fresh and take care of your body. At times, you have to sleep for even 9-10 hours than the usual eight hours of sleep. “Recovery is very important as fast bowling is a strenuous job and takes its toll on the body,” he stated. Being a professional cricketer, Bumrah has no complaints though. “We have to put our best foot forward. There is a lot of travelling involved, and the challenge is to remain fresh and control the controllable,” he said.
Moeen Ali plays down Oval rout
Moeen Ali remains positive even after India bulldozed England in Tuesday’s first ODI at The Oval. England’s emphasis, according to Moeen, is on learning from defeats and moving forward. “In the past, we have won a lot of games. We have lost a few games at the moment, but that is good for us going forward. I’m sure getting closer to a World Cup, we will again start winning,” the spinner all-rounder said ahead of Thursday’s second ODI at Lord’s. “We want to win now, but you don’t want to win all games. Because sometimes you learn more from losing games as well,” Moeen added. There have been instances in the past when England were able to recover from their false starts and finish on a good note. But on Tuesday, they could survive just over 25 overs.
