Jasprit Bumrah (Photo Source: Mumbai Indians)

If ‘not looking back’ required an analogy, Jasprit Bumrah‘s cricket journey is the perfect fit.
The teenager from Gujarat with an awkward bowling action impressed former Mumbai Indians (MI) coach John Wright during one of his scouting tours in 2013, and the franchise chose to invest in Wright’s foresight. Eleven years from that day, the right-arm pacer stands as probably the greatest fast bowler of his era.
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Ashish Nehra recently remarked that “even an IPL purse of Rs 520 crore won’t be enough for IPL teams” to bring Bumrah in their camp. But that possibility has never arrived.
Since 2014, when an uncapped 21-year-old Jasprit Bumrah was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.20 crore after making his debut for the franchise a season earlier, he has never been in the auction pool again as MI retained him ahead of every season since.
So the only chance for IPL franchises to get Bumrah at the auction came a decade ago, and it’s unlikely that the Reliance-owned MI will ever let go of the pacer who has gained legendary status across formats.
But if the Gujarat’s selectors had made a different choice eleven years ago, Jasprit Bumrah’s trajectory might have been entirely different — today, there’s consensus that he is a once-in-a-generation talent, a true blessing for Indian cricket.

The events leading to Bumrah’s selection for the 2013 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament tell a compelling tale, as remarkable as his ability to unsettle batsmen at the crease.
A native of Ahmedabad, Bumrah developed his cricket skills in the compound of Goyal Intercity, the residential complex where he lived. During this time, his mother worked diligently to support the family following his father’s untimely death.
As a student at Nirman High School, Bumrah harboured aspirations of cricket success. However, with limited progress and opportunity, he considered abandoning cricket in 2012 and relocating to Canada.
But his selection to the district team marked the beginning of an upward trajectory. The competition effectively served as a selection trial for the state squad. Despite playing only one match, Bumrah’s wicket-taking performance proved sufficient to secure his place in Gujarat’s state team.

(Photo Source: X)
Bumrah made his first class, List A and T20 debuts in 2013. But it was at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament where he caught the eye of the then MI coach Wright.
In 2013, Bumrah emerged in the IPL, showcasing his unique bowling technique with a stiff-arm action. During his debut match, he claimed three wickets whilst Chris Gayle was dominating for Royal Challengers Bangalore. But he got to play only two matches that season.
His exceptional skills at bowling yorkers and managing death overs caught the attention of BCCI selectors. Within three years of his IPL introduction, these abilities paved the way for his selection to the national team.
Bumrah’s international journey began with an ODI against Australia in January 2016, followed by his T20I debut three days later. His Test cricket initiation came two years afterwards, when he played against South Africa at Cape Town in January 2018.
His subsequent achievements and wicket-taking abilities grew in such a manner that even the legend of the game now believe that he is one of the greatest to grace the sport.
Given his history of back problems and injuries, the Team India staff now carefully monitors his playing schedule and workload. After all, such rare talents are discovered only once in a generation.