‘Ye Bumrah-Vumrah kya karenge’: When Virat Kohli first heard about Jasprit Bumrah in IPL 2014

Team India’s most dependable bowler in all formats Jasprit Bumrah, had made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2013 for the Mumbai Indians (MI). However, it was only in 2015 which was the breakout season that had even earned a call-up to the Indian side. Since then, there has been no turning back and Bumrah turned out to be one of the best bowlers of the current generation in world cricket. 

In the IPL, he has helped his side successfully win the title in the last many years. Surely, there is no doubt that Bumrah would have done a world of good to Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.

However, he had not taken his then-teammate Parthiv Patel’s words, who had praised the pacer, seriously. The former Indian wicketkeeper revealed that he had spoken highly about Jasprit Bumrah to Virat Kohli in IPL 2014.

Patel had watched Bumrah from close quarters since the bowler had played in the Ranji Trophy for Gujarat in his early years, however, Kohli had not paid any heed to it.

The gloveman revealed that Kohli wasn’t much interested in taking a look at Bumrah despite the wicketkeeper rating him really high. “In 2014, when I was at RCB, I told Kohli there’s this bowler named Bumrah. Have a look at him. Virat replied saying ‘Chhor na yaar. Ye Bumrah-Vumrah kya karenge?‘ (Leave it. What will such players do?),” Parthiv told Cricbuzz.

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Patel later highlighted that Bumrah’s own hard work had a lot to do with the development of his bowling during the IPL as well as in the international circuit.

“When he was first picked, Bumrah played Ranji Trophy for the first 2-3 years. 2013 was his first year, and he didn’t have a good season in 2014. In 2015, it was so bad that there was discussion(s) going on that he might have to be sent back home mid-season. But, he slowly began improving and Mumbai Indians really backed him. It was his own hard work and such backing that really brought out the best in him,” he added.