Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri recalls Jasprit Bumrah’s foray into Tests
The rise of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah of Team India to the World No. 1 ranking in Tests is not overnight. He was already a force to be reckoned with in the white-ball format and just grew in stature over time in the Tests as well.
In fact, some planning on the part of then-coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli went in there as well. Shastri, recalling the incident, told Michael Atherton for The Times, “I remember my first call to him; it was in Kolkata. I asked him if he would be interested in Test cricket. He said that would be the biggest day of his life.
“He was labelled as a white-ball cricketer without asking him. But I knew. I wanted to see how hungry he was. I told him to get ready and be prepared. I told him I was going to unleash him in South Africa.”
Shastri added that Bumrah wanted to play Test cricket with Virat. “He was desperate to play Test cricket with Virat Kohli. They know that, at the end of the day, no one remembers white ball averages. They will always remember your numbers in Test cricket.”