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On Friday evening, the Arun Jaitley Stadium was buzzing with excitement as cricket took center stage, albeit briefly. Jasprit Bumrah, back in action and full of energy, was set to bowl against 17-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the young player who once managed to score against him. The atmosphere was charged, with the drizzle and floodlights just adding to the drama of the occasion.<\/p>\n
The anticipation had been building since Team India arrived for their training session prior to the T20I series against Afghanistan. The dressing room was lively, welcoming back Duleep Trophy champions Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, alongside runner-up Tilak Varma, after they had missed Friday’s practice. And leading the way was Bumrah, back for his first session since July, ready to make an impact.<\/p>\n
As the rain let up and the sun peeked through the clouds, the ground staff removed the covers, allowing the players to take the field with renewed vigor. Subhadeep Ghosh, the newly appointed fielding coach, kicked off the first half hour with enthusiasm, eager to leave a mark in his new role.<\/p>\n
Divided into two groups, the players engaged in direct-hit drills, encouraging one another as they went. “Good speed, boys!” Ghosh cheered, undeterred by the damp conditions as his team lunged for the ball and aimed for the stumps. The excitement continued with high-catching practice.<\/p>\n
From his position near the practice area, Ghosh directed players positioned near the boundary, emphasizing footwork as they prepared to receive the catch. Sooryavanshi, however, appeared to struggle a bit during this phase, dropping a few challenging catches as the floodlights intensified.<\/p>\n
A crowd of reporters gathered along the boundary, eagerly watching the session unfold. Bumrah marked his run-up alongside his fellow fast bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, a fit-again Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, and Yash Thakur, who was filling in for the injured Harshit Rana. Observing Bumrah warm up after a lengthy recovery felt like witnessing a machine being revved up again, with everyone waiting to see if his performance would match his past brilliance. For a good 45 minutes, Bumrah bowled without a hitch, showing no signs of his recent injury.<\/p>\n
When Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson stepped into the nets to face the pacers, there was an air of excitement. This was the first time Bumrah would bowl to Sooryavanshi in practice. They had clashed before in the IPL, notably when a then 15-year-old Sooryavanshi had hit Bumrah for a six, a moment still vivid in everyone\u2019s minds. However, on this day at Kotla, Bumrah was determined to give no quarter to Sooryavanshi.<\/p>\n
The tension grew as Bumrah began his run-up. His first ball was a yorker aimed at Sooryavanshi’s feet, but it went wide. The young batter managed better against the other bowlers, finding some rhythm, but Bumrah continued to push hard.<\/p>\n
Bumrah\u2019s second delivery was a sharp length ball that drifted away, leaving Sooryavanshi missing completely. The third delivery was a toe-crushing yorker that Sooryavanshi managed to defend just in time. With the rhythm now in his favor, Bumrah began targeting Sanju Samson next, with a flurry of yorkers and sharp, short deliveries.<\/p>\n
Then came the defining moment: Bumrah ran in fiercely, found his perfect length, and induced an edge from Sooryavanshi that would have been a comfortable catch for any keeper. Bumrah instinctively broke into an enthusiastic half-celebration, half-appeal, showcasing his confidence.<\/p>\n
Sooryavanshi did manage a nice shot, driving one of Bumrah’s overpitched deliveries, but besides that, Bumrah was dominant, giving the young batter a taste of what he’s been serving up to opponents for years. Former cricketer Ian Bishop noted that Bumrah has gained such respect that even top-order players treat him with caution.<\/p>\n
Despite the intensity, there were lighter moments too. Bumrah’s smiles returned each time he completed his follow-through, and Samson shared a laugh regarding Bumrah’s fierce attitude before heading off to face the spinners.<\/p>\n
After recovering from a knee injury that had sidelined him from a one-day international in England and a Test series in Sri Lanka, Bumrah showed he was back in fine form. The practice session extended well beyond three hours, allowing most of the top order ample opportunity to prepare, although the pace bowlers and net bowlers were left exhausted by the end.<\/p>\n
As the training wound down, the lasting image was Bumrah’s celebratory appeal after the edge and Sooryavanshi\u2019s genuine respect for the experienced bowler. It\u2019s a scene that might play out again in the future when IPL rolls around, as Sooryavanshi may seek to return the favor.
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