Jasprit Bumrah — India's Greatest Fast Bowler and His Unique Action
Jasprit Bumrah is rated the world's best fast bowler with a uniquely unorthodox action that makes him nearly impossible to pick. Learn about his career, his ODI and Test records, and his 2024 World Cup triumph.
Jasprit Bumrah (born 1993, Ahmedabad, Gujarat) is India's premier fast bowler and widely rated the best fast bowler in world cricket across all three formats. What makes Bumrah exceptional — beyond his pace, his yorker, and his ability to move the ball both ways — is his unorthodox, chest-on bowling action: a short run-up, an unusual arm position, and a high-pace release that batters have minimal time to read. In Tests, Bumrah averages below 21 with over 170 wickets; in ODIs he is the fifth-fastest to 150 wickets.
The yorker king — death-bowling mastery
Bumrah's yorker is rated the most feared delivery in T20 cricket. A toe-crushing yorker delivered at 140–145 km/h with late swing and an action that gives batters almost no visual cue is extraordinarily difficult to counter. His ability to bowl accurate yorkers under the highest pressure — final overs of World Cup matches, Ashes Test run-chases — separates him from other pace bowlers. In T20Is, his economy rate in the death overs (overs 17-20) is consistently among the best in the world.
2024 T20 World Cup — Player of the Tournament
Bumrah was the dominant bowler of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, played in the West Indies and USA. He took 15 wickets across 8 matches — the most by any bowler in the tournament — at an economy rate of 4.17, remarkably low for T20 cricket. India won their second T20 World Cup, beating South Africa in the final in Barbados. Bumrah was named Player of the Tournament. The 2024 World Cup gave Bumrah his first major ICC title after years as India's best bowler.
Comeback from back injury
Bumrah underwent back surgery in 2022–23 after a stress fracture forced him out of cricket for nearly a year. His recovery and return — including a Player of the Series performance in the 2024 England Test series where India won 4-1 — was one of cricket's great comebacks. His unorthodox action places unusual stress on his body, and managing his workload remains India's most critical team management challenge. When fit, India's bowling attack becomes genuinely world-class; without him, they are considerably weaker.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Jasprit Bumrah's bowling action considered unique?
Bumrah bowls with an unusual chest-on action and a short, unusual run-up that gives batters minimal reading time. Unlike conventional fast bowlers who approach side-on, Bumrah faces the batter at delivery and releases the ball from an unusual arm position. The combination of pace (140-145 km/h), swing, variation, and an action that provides few visual cues makes him extremely difficult to play.
How many Test wickets does Bumrah have?
Jasprit Bumrah has taken over 170 Test wickets at an average below 21 — among the best averages for an active fast bowler. He has taken 5-wicket hauls on all major Test grounds worldwide, including South Africa, England, Australia, and the West Indies, confirming his status as a truly global force.
Did Bumrah win the 2024 T20 World Cup?
Yes. Bumrah was the Player of the Tournament at the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which India won by beating South Africa in the final in Barbados. He took 15 wickets in the tournament at an economy rate of 4.17. It was India's second T20 World Cup (after 2007) and Bumrah's first major ICC title.