Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj are the core of India’s pace attack in red-ball cricket. Each brings unique strengths and skills, but what unites them, according to Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir, is their shared view of bowling as a form of “meditation” and “peace.”
In a conversation on BCCI TV with Virat Kohli, Gambhir praised the trio and stressed the importance of instilling a similar mindset in the next generation of bowlers. “India will always produce quality batters, that’s how our cricket system is built. But do young fast bowlers have the motivation to bowl 20 overs a day?” Gambhir asked.
He mentioned his recent chat with Jasprit Bumrah, who expressed his deep love for bowling. “Bumrah just wants to bowl all day. But does the next generation have that same passion, especially in challenging conditions like the heat of Chennai?” Gambhir continued. “We need to find bowlers who truly love the craft and are ready to bowl day in and day out.”
Renowned for Tests, not T20s
“Mohammed Shami isn’t globally recognized because of his T20 performances; he’s one of the best Test bowlers, and his contributions in the 50-over World Cup add to his value,” said Virat Kohli. While Bumrah has an outstanding T20 record, Kohli believes his greatness, like Shami’s, lies in his ability to excel across all formats, not just in delivering yorkers in T20s.
Speaking about Siraj, Kohli added, “Siraj is built for Test cricket, and he’s driven to succeed, especially in away games where he wants to make a mark.”
“These are the values other cricketers can look up to, and even though Bumrah is from a different generation than when we started playing, he still possesses that same drive,” Kohli added.
