Jasprit

Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah Biography and Career

Jasprit Bumrah is an Indian cricketer who plays for Gujarat in domestic cricket and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. Touted as one of the best fast bowlers to emerge out of India and currently the best fast bowler in the world, Bumrah had to face a lot of hardships growing up, but he fought through them all and is now a superstar of Indian cricket.

Bumrah was born in December 1993 in a Sikh family in Ahmedabad. He was just seven when he lost his father, and his mother, a school principal, had to work very hard to raise two kids, Jasprit and his sister Juhika. 

The first thing anyone would notice about Bumrah is his unorthodox action. It’s rare. Walk a few steps, hop, stutter, run and bam hurl the ball at 150kph. His hyperextended elbows and a stiff-armed action make it difficult for batsmen to pick him. Add to that Bumrah’s ability to nail the yorker at will, and swing the ball both ways, and he at times becomes nigh unplayable. 

Bumrah was first spotted by his school coach. It was critical that he was not asked to change his action by his then coach. But that also caused problems for Bumrah. In 2019, he appeared for the Gujarat Cricket Association’s Under-19 district selection, but because of his unorthodox action, he was not selected in the squad of 15. But, whenever Bumrah got a chance, he blew the batsmen away and keeping him out of the team was no longer an option. 

In 2013, Mumbai Indians and former India head coach John Wright spotted Bumrah in one of the games and was mighty impressed. He was asked to sign up for the auction and was picked almost out of obscurity by Mumbai and has been a part of the franchise since IPL 2013.

Bumrah made his India debut in an ODI in January 2016 against Australia with Steven Smith being his first wicket. Soon after, he made his T20I debut and was also part of the 2016 T20 World Cup side where he was again among the wickets on a regular basis. 

For the longest time, it was said that Bumrah should be wrapped in cotton wool and be allowed to play only white-ball games. Many also felt that he would fail in Test matches. There was also a feeling that due to his unconventional bowling action, he should avoid playing Test cricket as that could cause injuries. Bumrah proved them all wrong picking 14 wickets in his debut Test series against South Africa. He has since been an integral part of the Indian side and for the last few years, been the leader of the attack.

Bumrah has had to deal with plenty of injury issues in his career. He’s had knee issues and a persistent back problem for which he was out of the game for close to a year and even underwent surgery. But, over the last few years, Bumrah has mostly been injury free and gone from strength to strength. 

Bumrah played a starring role in the Champions Trophy 2017, ODI World Cup 2019, and he was India’s second-highest wicket-taker during the ODI World Cup in 2023 taking his team to the final. Bumrah then played a starring role in India’s title-winning campaign of the T20 World Cup 2024 finishing with a barely believable economy rate of 4.17. He was also named player of the tournament. 

Bumrah captained India for the first time in 2022 during India's tour to England when Rohit Sharma was ruled out due to COVID-19. He also led India during the first and fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024-25.

Bumrah in the IPL

Bumrah’s IPL journey could easily make the plot of a blockbuster movie. Plucked out of nowhere by Mumbai Indians as a 19-year-old, he has now risen to become arguably the best bowler in the world. Bumrah made his debut in IPL 2013 when he hadn’t even played first-class cricket and was a few days into his white-ball journey. But by 2017, he had established himself as the leader of the Mumbai pack even ahead of Malinga. 

Bumrah’s start in the IPL was eventful. He was hit for three straight fours by Virat Kohli. Then off the fourth ball, he dismissed the batsman for his maiden IPL wicket. In the same game, he also cleaned up AB de Villiers and gave him a send-off.

Bumrah has won five IPL titles with Mumbai in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 and played a starring role with the ball each time. He was their leading wicket-taker in three out of these five editions: 2017, 2019 and 2020. Bumrah is the first Indian bowler to have taken more than 150 wickets for a single franchise. He has only played for Mumbai in the league and was one of the players retained for a hefty sum ahead of the 2022 mega auction and the 2025 auction. 

Bumrah has won Mumbai many games almost single-handedly and to date remains their most important asset. He is the second-highest wicket-taker for Mumbai behind Lasith Malinga. In an interview, Bumrah suggested that it was Malinga who taught him how to bowl yorkers. 

"My all-time favourite bowlers are Mitchell Johnson, Wasim Akram and Brett Lee. I used to watch their videos and learn from them,” Bumrah said in an interview. “I have learnt a lot from Johnson, and Malinga too. I try to learn from any senior bowlers who have played international cricket."

Beyond Cricket

Bumrah married his longtime girlfriend Sanjana Ganesan in an intimate ceremony in Goa in 2021. He has a son named Angad Bumrah, who was born in 2023. While Bumrah is a fairly reserved person, he has a lot of fan following. On X (formerly Twitter), Bumrah has close to 6 million followers, while on Instagram he has 19 million followers.  

Away from cricket, Bumrah has endorsed several brands including ASICS and OnePlus India. He has also endorsed major brands such as Dream11, BoAt, Tata Motors, BharatPe, Royal Stag and Thumbs Up.

In early 2025 during a Coldplay concert, lead singer Chris Martin played a video while on stage showing how Bumrah dismantled the England batsmen during their last trip to the country in 2024. In June 2019, Bumrah took offence to Jaipur police using his picture on a hoarding showing him bowling a no-ball in a game against Pakistan.

Bumrah has won the Polly Umrigar Award for the best male cricketer in India twice: in 2018-19 and 2021-22. In 2022, Bumrah was among the Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year.

Jasprit Bumrah Records 

Jasprit Bumrah ODI Records

• He is the second fastest to 100 wickets for an Indian bowler after Mohammed Shami. Bumrah reached the mark in 57 matches.
• During India’s tour of England in 2022, Bumrah picked 6/19 in the first ODI. These are the best ODI figures for an Indian bowler against England, and the third best for India 

Jasprit Bumrah Test Records

• Bumrah is the first Asian bowler to take five-wicket hauls in Australia, England, and South Africa in the same calendar year
• He finished with 48 wickets in his debut season, setting a record for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in his debut year in Test cricket
• He is the third Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. He achieved the feat against West Indies
• Bumrah is the joint third-fastest Indian bowler and the fastest Indian fast bowler to take 150 wickets in Test cricket. He got there in 34 matches.
• He is the fastest Indian pacer to reach 200 Test wickets. Bumrah achieved the landmark in his 44th Test.
• Bumrah holds the record for smashing the most runs in an over in Test cricket. In 2022, he smoked Stuart Broad for 35 runs in an over, breaking Brian Lara’s record.

Jasprit Bumrah T20I Records

• He was named player of the tournament after India’s win in the T20 World Cup 2024

Jasprit Bumrah Overall International Records

• Bumrah is the first Indian fast bowler to reach the number 1 ranking in Test cricket. 
• He is the first bowler to achieve the number 1 ranking in all three formats of the game
• Bumrah has the highest ranking points for any bowler in the history of Test cricket

Jasprit Bumrah IPL Records

• Bumrah has won five IPL titles as a player with Mumbai Indians in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020
• Has the second-highest number of wickets for Mumbai Indians after Lasith Malinga
• Is one of the few players to have turned out for one single franchise