I think what puts people off is Bumrah’s limited run-up and powerful action producing pace: Michael Holding

Michael Holding

Over the years now, Jasprit Bumrah has been a pivotal aspect of team India across formats. The pacer has risen to the occasion and fashioned many triumphs for the team and has been captain Virat Kohli’s go-to bowler in crunch moments. The former West Indies pacer Michael Holding however feels that the key behind Bumrah’s success is his limited run-up and powerful action.

Bumrah’s bowling style is regarded as unique and unorthodox in nature. He doesn’t possess a long run-up but is able to generate the pace. Holding thus feels that the speedster’s short run-up does not allow the batters to adjust quickly. He further added that Bumrah’s powerful action enables him to produce enough pace.

“I think what puts people off is Bumrah’s limited run-up and his powerful strong action that produces the pace,” Holding said while speaking to Telegraph.

Batsmen would not find it as difficult if Jasprit Bumrah bowled with a regular run-up: Michael Holding

Jasprit Bumrah has fetched a lot of success with his method of bowling. With his sheer flair, he has evolved as a multi-format bowler. Initially, he was renowned as a death-over bowling specialist as he clinched victory from the jaw of defeat for the team owing to his tight bowling and lethal Yorkers.

While bowling the delivery, Bumrah walks and then suddenly picks up pace. He then takes a huge leap at the crease and bowls with a wider release point which becomes a tough nut to break for the batters. Holding feels that his run-up is the thing that troubles the batters. According to Holding if Bumrah would have bowled with a regular run-up, he wouldn’t have been as effective as he is right now.

“If he had a long rhythmical run-up and bowled with the same delivery action at the same pace, batsmen would not find it as difficult. Even Jeff Thomson and Lasith Malinga had ‘different’ actions, but they had a run-up through which batsmen could get some sort of rhythm from.” Holding added.

In the ongoing Test match series against England, Bumrah yet again put India in the driver’s seat by bowling a splendid spell that fetched him praises from all over the cricketing world. He picked up the wicket of Ollie Pope to reach the mark of 100 Test wickets. Later, scalping the wicket of Jonny Bairstow with a precise Yorker, the speedster strengthened the team’s position.