Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah and the art of taking wickets - what makes the Indian fast bowler world-class

The Headingley Test last week is a prime example. Bumrah was the most dangerous bowler in the first innings. If he had adequate support from fellow pacemen Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna and the fielders, the result could have been different. The England batsmen simply saw off Bumrah and attacked the others. The strategy worked.

But beyond physical attributes and variations, it's his ability to outthink batsmen that sets him apart. That’s what makes him different — and dangerous. He finds ways to take wickets regardless of the match situation. Even a well-set batsman isn’t safe when Bumrah’s on the hunt.

As if that’s not enough, he’s got variety. The 31-year-old can swing the ball in, take it away, reverse it too. Add to that a sharp bouncer, clever slower balls, and a deadly toe-crushing yorker — and you have a bowler lethal in all formats.

Shyam A. Krishna has been slicing and dicing news for nearly 40 years and is in no mood to slow down. As Acting Editor, he runs the newsroom — digital and print. Sports was the passion that ignited his career, and he now writes about just about everything: news, business, sports, health, travel, and entertainment. Even cooking! You might have spotted him at COP28, the Arabian Travel Market, the Dubai World Cup racing, the Dubai tennis and Abu Dhabi Formula One motor racing. Before all that, the newsroom was (and still is) his home turf. As Night Editor, he designed and produced pages for several years before focusing on Opinion pieces. The transition from Opinion Editor to Senior Associate Editor signaled a return to writing — from special reports and blogs to features. And when he’s not chasing stories or deadlines, Shyam is probably making travel plans or baking something.

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