‘Bumrah bhai keeps advising me’ – Mukesh Kumar on Jasprit Bumrah’s guidance throughout India’s tour of South Africa

India’s pace sensation Mukesh Kumar recently shed light on Jasprit Bumrah’s motivational words which kept him motivated throughout India’s tour of South Africa, wherein Kumar was a part of both the white ball and red ball squad for the Indian team. Mukesh talked about how Bumrah gave him valuable guidance and suggestions which gave him a successful series.  

Mukesh discussed Jasprit Bumrah advising him to maintain his consistency and explaining the importance of it considering he has had a phenomenal performance while delivering the toe-crushing Yorkers. Bumrah also told Mukesh to keep delivering. Balls will fuel and add pressure on the South African batsmen who were not having a great time in Cape Town. 

Mukesh Kumar reflects on Jasprit Bumrah’s words during series against South Africa 

“Bumrah bhai keeps advising me on the yorker in particular. He says, ‘Tu bahut acchha yorker daalta hai. Jo kar raha hai, bas wahi karta jaa’ (You bowl the yorker well. Just keep doing what you have been). We talk quite regularly and he gives me other suggestions as well, which are obviously invaluable,” Mukesh Kumar told Telegraph India. 

While recalling his days in domestic Cricket and the popular IPL Young players Akash Deep and Ishan Porel, Mukesh Kumar discussed how the team management had their roles justified to them. “The process is quite similar to what myself, Akash (Deep) and Ishan Porel used to do in Bengal. Here also we discuss our respective roles: who will go on all-out attack and who focuses on keeping things tight with maiden overs.”

“In Cape Town, Bumrah bhai was telling me to keep bowling those dot balls as that would add to their (Proteas) pressure (in the second innings). Such was the situation that I had to bowl those, which eventually proved to be beneficial for the team,” Mukesh added.