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The third T20I against New Zealand was a landmark occasion for Jasprit Bumrah, highlighted by two big achievements. Beyond orchestrating a victory for India with his clinical and destructive bowling spell, the match also served as a celebration of his 10 years in international cricket, marking a decade of excellence at the highest level.
Fighting aches, pains, assumptions, and opinions: Bumrah on completing 10 years of international cricket
Reflecting on a decade of international cricket with a poignant look back at his career. The premier fast bowler touched on the emotional and physical toll of the last ten years, noting that his journey has been a relentless battle against both physical injuries and the constant scrutiny of outside opinions. Since bursting onto the scene in 2016 as a white-ball specialist, Bumrah has rapidly evolved into a dominant force across all three formats of the game. He reaffirmed his world-class status during the third T20I against New Zealand, delivering a masterclass in pace bowling. His exceptional figures of 3/17 over four overs not only stifled the opposition but also earned him the Player of the Match award, serving as a fitting tribute to his ten years at the top.
"(On completing 10 years in international cricket) It feels really good. I, as a child, only dreamt to play one game, and you know, 10 years playing for your country, not in order after being a fast bowler, fighting aches and pains, assumptions, and opinions. Because when people saw me, I was not supposed to play for long. People gave me six months. So this is something that I was really proud of, playing for your country for so long, and hopefully the journey continues because that is something that, you know, it's a feather in my cap, and I'll keep it with me," Jasprit Bumrah said after the match.
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'I'm happy as long as I'm able to contribute'
In a dominant bowling performance at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium, India successfully restricted New Zealand to a modest 153 for 9 during the third T20I. The effort was spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, who set the tone immediately by claiming a wicket with the very first delivery of his spell.
"I'm happy as long as I'm able to contribute. So if the team wants me to bowl with the new ball and bowl in the end, if they want me to bowl in the end, I'm happy to do that. I did that in the Asia Cup as well. That was a new role for me. I've never done that before for too long. They've only played three overs, but as a team we have to be flexible, and so I'm flexible," he added.
Team India then rode on explosive knocks from Suryakumar Yadav (57 off 26) and Abhishek Sharma (68 off 20) to wrap up the chase in just 10 overs.
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