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‘Why run so much?’ – Bumrah reveals why his short-run up works for him

by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah has opened up on his short run-up and how it works in his favour, especially in Test matches.

Bumrah was speaking during ICC’s Inside Out programme, with former South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock and Ian Bishop, the former West Indies pacer and now an esteemed commentator.

The trio discussed a variety of aspects about Bumrah’s bowling, and how he has evolved since debuting for India in January 2016. One of the features of the 26-year-old’s bowling is his run-up, which is quite short for someone who consistently clocks 140kph.

“The run-up is because of playing in the backyard,” he revealed. “We didn’t have a lot of space when I used to play as a child. This was the longest run-up you could have, so maybe that could be a reason.

“I’ve tried a longer run-up and nothing changes – the speed is still the same. So why run so much?”

Bumrah went on to highlight how the short run-up benefitted him in the longest format of the sport. “When I’m bowling my fourth spell, fifth spell, I’m relatively more fresh than the bowlers who play with me and have a longer run-up. This was my theory,” he said.

“This is not the best thing, I should say, but I am bowling quicker than them in my fourth spell as well. So I think I should stick to it.

“If I have some physical difficulty and if it’s giving me some trouble, then I’ll find solutions. But if it’s not broken, why fix it?”

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