The Indian camp immediately picks up an undeniable surge of energy whenever its premier fast bowler enters the setup. Returning to the Kotla with high spirits and an effortless rhythm, Jasprit Bumrah wasted no time showcasing his supreme bowling artistry, using 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as his sparring partner. Having missed the T20 leg in the UK when Sooryavanshi earned his inaugural national call-up, the legendary pacer made up for lost time under the floodlights.
Jasprit Bumrah takes down Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during India's nets practice
Bumrah subjected the young phenom to a relentless four-ball masterclass that exposed him to the harshest demands of elite bowling. Opening with a good-length delivery that beat the outside edge, Bumrah followed up with an extra-effort ball that whistled past the bat before the youngster could complete his swing. A pinpoint, toe-crushing yorker came next, which Sooryavanshi barely managed to jam out, before a sharp back-of-a-length delivery forced a thick edge to cap off a commanding sequence.
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In just four balls, the veteran pacer offered the teenager a stark preview of the relentless quality he will encounter against world-class bowling attacks on the international stage. Sooryavanshi did manage a brief moment of retaliation, punishing a rare overpitched delivery through the covers. Overall, however, it proved to be a testing session for the youngster, who struggled during fielding drills with three dropped catches and repeatedly missed the mark against the entire pace battery, including Yash Thakur and a seam-imparting Arshdeep Singh.
Ultimately, Bumrah remained the star attraction of the evening. Beyond testing the young prodigy, he turned his attention to captain Shreyas Iyer, repeatedly beating him for pace on both edges. Operating with supreme sharpness, effortless swagger, and the calm composure of a master at work, Bumrah's energetic return to full intensity brought a palpable wave of excitement throughout the Kotla ground.
India’s updated squad for T20Is against Afghanistan:
Indian cricket team: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur.