Everything was going fine for us in our pursuit of 154. We were cruising in the chase, at least in the first half of our innings. However, the pattern changed due to a mixture of reasons – good bowling and fielding by Gujarat Lions and a pitch that was slowing down by the minute. Krunal Pandya was exceptional in hanging in there and taking the game till the final over, and then, till the final moments. He couldn’t get us over the line, but he ensured that we didn’t lose. The game went into the Super Over! Enter Jaspirt Bumrah, after we scored just 11 runs. It was a high-pressure situation and the task to defend 11 was daunting against the likes of Brendon McCullum & Aaron Finch. He even bowled a couple of extras, but that didn’t deter him. Bumrah won us the game and addressed the media soon after.

Bumrah was under immense pressure during the Super Over. It was his first time bowling one and he poured his emotions out. “First time I was bowling the over! There was pressure always, because I was defending just 11 runs. But, at that time, you don’t think too much. You only think about positive aspects and everything you have planned.” Rohit Sharma was constantly seen talking to Bumrah during the over and the latter said that he was very supportive. “He didn’t say much, he just asked me to back my skills and not take too much pressure on myself. He asked me to stay confident and assured me that this is just another over. He told me not apply extra pressure and treat it like a Super Over, be calm and try to execute the plans.”

Both teams were pretty tense after the 40 overs. However, Bumrah assured that the team weren’t panicking during the Super Over. “We weren’t panicking really. We were under pressure when we were losing wickets quickly. It was a good, tight match and usually, these things happen in cricket. So, we were happy in the end that we were on the winning side.”

The batting line-up struggled a bit in the last 2 games, but Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t too critical of our boys’ performances on the whole. “I think we are working well, we are starting well. This is cricket; some days you click, some days you don’t. We are working hard, we are training well and we are looking to improve every time we play. In our upcoming matches, we will be able to bat well too.”

Bumrah doesn’t really practice the way Malinga does, although he practises with him most of the time. He threw light on some of the death overs sessions they have during training. “I don’t practice like that, the way Malinga does, keeping the shoes. I practise with him, how to bowl Yorkers, but I always have a death bowling session during practice. I have to do so, because I always bowl in the death whether it is for Gujarat, India or Mumbai Indians. So, I have a proper death bowling session.

This was our seventh win of the season and Bumrah was equally appreciative of each of them. “Every win is very important and every time you contribute to the team’s success, it’s very good. I take positives from whatever has happened in the previous games and move forward.”

Jasprit Bumrah has bowled some crucial spells for us in this season. He has complemented all the other pacers in the side. While Malinga finished off in the middle overs itself, he ensured that Gujarat Lions were kept under check in the final few overs. He now has experience of bowling a Super Over and showed us how capable he is. It is a great achievement for him to be chosen ahead of someone like Malinga to bowl that over. Bumrah has given not only Mumbai Indians, but even India, a bowler who can be relied upon in the death overs with Yorkers and smart variations in pace. Jasprit Bumrah has come of age indeed.