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India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah finally made his much-anticipated return to international cricket after a year-long absence due to a back injury. As he leads India in T20I opener against Ireland in the three-match series, he anticipated some ‘great cricket’ on his India comeback. And it all happened the Bumrah's way. He made a resounding comeback by snaring two wickets in the very first over he bowled.
In the inaugural T20I held at Malahide, Dublin on August 18, India, after winning the toss, chose to bowl first. During the toss, Bumrah shared his words of encouragement to debutants Rinku Singh and Prasidh Krishna, emphasizing the essence of cherishing the game.
"It feels exhilarating to be back. You always anticipate exemplary cricket on this platform. As a pacer, I'd hope for bowler-friendly wickets, but we'll see. With two debutants on our side, I've advised them to relish the game," expressed Bumrah.
The ace bowler, who was sidelined since September 2022 due to a lower-back stress fracture, devoted his recovery period to rigorous training, especially with the high-stakes Asia Cup and ODI World Cup looming.
Bumrah, during his recovery, kept his strategy attuned to ODI cricket. On the brink of the first T20I clash against Ireland, he elucidated his workout regimen. "My preparation was invariably geared towards the World Cup," he highlighted, shedding light on his focus on extended bowling stints, particularly for ODI engagements.
Furthermore, Bumrah underscored his preparedness to help bolster India's position in the imminent tournaments. Unfazed by the towering expectations tethered to his comeback, he manifested an eager spirit, "I'm keen on cherishing the sport, given my prolonged hiatus."
His relentless commitment was evident during his rehabilitation tenure at the National Cricket Academy. Reflecting on his journey, Bumrah remarked, "My belief remained unshaken. The jubilation of being back is immense. My stint at the NCA was marked by arduous work. I feel invigorated, and I'm eager for some on-field action," signifying his fervent love for the game.
Talking about the match, Bumrah on his T20I captaincy debut conceded just four runs in his first over to push the Irish on the back foot in pacer-friendly conditions at The Village, Dublin.
Here's the video…
India Playing XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah(c), Ravi Bishnoi
Ireland Playing XI: Paul Stirling(c), Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Benjamin White.
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