India pacer Jasprit Bumrah hit the ground running on Monday, making a surprise visit to the Gujarat College Ground to train on the sidelines of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The 32-year-old was spotted training at the venue where Tamil Nadu were playing against Karnataka in the premier 50-over domestic competition, according to Sportstar.
The speedster was not surrounded by any fans, nor were there any people chasing him for autographs, as he went about his business in a low-key fashion.
The Sportstar report stated that Bumrah opted to have a short but useful stint under the watchful eyes of former Gujarat Ranji coach Hitesh Majumdar. The No. 1-ranked Test bowler was seen dishing out deliveries from two steps, and he gradually increased his run-up.
He only started using his full run-up towards the end of his bowling session. However, Bumrah opted not to bowl full tilt as he was well within himself.
“Ride the bounce,” Bumrah told Gujarat Ranji batter Sunpreet Bagga after beating him consistently. However, it was a moment to cherish for the batter as the opportunity to train alongside someone like Bumrah doesn’t come daily.
“He wasn’t bowling at full pace – around 130-135 kmph. I faced two overs from him,” Sportstar quoted Bagga as saying.
Gujarat key figure in the T20 World Cup squad
Bumrah is expected to be a key figure in India’s T20 World Cup squad as the side looks to go back-to-back and defend their title. The tournament will begin on February 7, and the hosts will open their campaign against the United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Before the T20 World Cup, Bumrah is also expected to feature in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on January 21. However, he will most probably miss the ODIs against the same opponent as the BCCI looks to prioritise the World Cup.
Bumrah was most recently seen in the T20I series against South Africa, where he returned with four wickets in three matches. Earlier this year, he was criticised for playing just three Tests against England; however, it is essential to note that this decision was made with the pacer’s workload in mind.
However, ever since then, Bumrah has played the Asia Cup, two Tests against the West Indies, T20Is against Australia and South Africa and the two Tests against South Africa.
2025 started off on a bad note for Bumrah as he got injured midway through the Sydney Test against Australia, leading to him missing the Champions Trophy and the initial few matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.