Cricket biography: When fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah tamed his ‘angry’ side

While the fire of youth still burned in Jasprit Bumrah’s belly, he had a reputation for being quick to ire. One confident stroke in the nets, and his fastest delivery was loading. Nor did you have to be a genius to guess the length: it would either be nose or toes. Your best bet was to simply get out of the way.

“He was extremely competitive,” former cricketer Priyank Panchal recalls. “He didn’t like batters playing good shots off his bowling. He didn’t care if they got hurt. There were times we had to remind him, ‘Jassi, calm down, we’re just practising.’”

Former cricketer Manprit Juneja adds to the folklore. “Every time you middled a shot in the nets off Jassi, and if four people said, ‘good shot’, you know the next ball is going to be a bouncer. He will show this fake happiness when he is angry.”

Such displays of microaggression have long been part of the fast bowlers’ playbook. They are expected, if not encouraged. Over the years, countless strong-shouldered young men have boasted their ability to knock heads off with five-and-a-half ounces of leather.

But that’s not how Bumrah postures. He grins and speaks of keeping a calm head. His frustrations are neatly concealed,...

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