Jasprit Bumrah makes Test debut for Indian cricket team at Cape Town

Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut for Indian cricket team against South Africa in the first match at Newlands on Friday.

For someone who had played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) even before Ranji Trophy, this is some rise for pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was handed a debut in the first Test against South Africa at the Newlands stadium. (Blog | Scorecard)

India's fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah earned his Test debut in the first match against South Africa at Newlands on Friday. (PTI)

A wiry pacer with an unusual sling-arm bowling action, Bumrah was born in Ahmedabad. He lost his father Jasbir at an early age, leaving mother (Daljit) and elder sister (Juhika) to raise him. Bumrah got into cricket only after he was 16.

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His first foray was into tennis ball cricket, playing in his society with other children. It was here though he developed his ability to bowl yorkers because length balls could easily be dispatched. Slowly he started playing age-group cricket.

That expedited his rise as Bumrah went from strength and became Mumbai Indians’ go-to bowler within a very short period of time. That success was translated in Ranji Trophy as well as he became the second highest wicket-taker for Gujarat in the 2015-16 season.

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Bumrah’s international debut happened almost at the same time, on the tour of Australia in early 2016, after Mohammed Shami had injured himself. Bumrah took little time to make an impression, bowling with pace and hitting the blockhole whenever required.

He quickly went on to become India’s bowling mainstay in limited-overs cricket, almost forcing selectors to pick him for the Test squad to South Africa. He didn’t have to wait for his debut as India picked him for the first Test in Cape Town.