The third T20I between India and Ireland was on August 23 (Wednesday) abandoned without a ball bowled after relentless rain damped the fun in Dublin. As a result, Jasprit Bumrah-led Men in Blue clinched the three-match series by a margin of 2-0. The visitors had already sealed the series after winning the opening two matches of the series. India pocketed the first match by two runs by the D/L method and secured a 33-run victory in the second game.
The series was a litmus test for Bumrah, who returned to international cricket after a lengthy hiatus of 11 months. After undergoing back surgery and missing out on multiple marquee tournaments, the veteran pacer returned to the biggest stage and began from where he had left.
Appointed as the captain of a relatively young Indian side, Bumrah returned to his best and performed like a smiling face assassin. In just his first over in 11 months, Bumrah bagged two wickets and sent a resounding reminder to fans about his remarkable talent.
“Very happy to be back and play some cricket. Frustrating when you're waiting for a game to happen. Did not see this coming, weather was fine in the morning,” Bumrah said after the 3rd T20I was abandoned.
On the leadership front, Bumrah looked like a natural leader of troops. Though the opposition didn't present a daunting challenge, Bumrah did his job remarkably well. It was only the second Bumrah was given the responsibility of captaincy. He had made his captaincy debut in a Test match against England in 2022. It was the first time Bumrah led India in white-ball cricket in the recently-concluded series and he left a lasting impression.
“An honour to lead the side, everyone was very eager and enthusiastic. Whenever you get an opportunity to lead your side, anyone would love to do that. As a cricketer, you always want responsibilty. All good, no complaints…. Makes my job easier when players are so confident, and they tell me what to do,” Bumrah said.
Up next, India will be competing in the Asia Cup and Bumrah along with Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna and Sanju Samson (traveling reserve) will be joining the rest of the squad in Bengaluru before leaving for Sri Lanka for the continental competition.
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