‘He was the first guy to embrace it…..’ – Ravi Shastri opens up on unleashing Jasprit Bumrah in Test cricket for Team India

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has opened up about star pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s desperation for Test cricket when he was the coach. Notably, the right-arm pacer has been making headlines after being the star of the game in the second Test match against England. In addition to that, the great seamer went on to pick nine wickets that dismantled England’s batting line-up and helped India level up to the series by 1-1.

However, the former India head coach, Ravi Shastri, recalled his first talk with the star cricketer in Kolkata. The former all-rounder revealed that he asked Jasprit Bumrah to play Test cricket, to which he had a great answer. In addition to this, the former right-handed batter reveals that Jasprit Bumrah was extremely eager to play Test cricket with former India skipper Virat Kohli after excelling in the white-ball game.

“I remember my first call to him, it was in Kolkata. I asked him if would he be interested in Test cricket. He said that would be the biggest day of his life. However, 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. Meanwhile, I told him I was going to unleash him in South Africa. However, he was desperate to play Test cricket with Virat Kohli. They know, at the end of the day, no one remembers white ball averages,” Ravi Shastri said in an interview.

Jasprit Bumrah was the first guy to embrace it;  was quite prepared to look ugly in the nets: Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri revealed that he needed a lot of fast bowlers when he was the head coach of Team India and how hungry Jasprit Bumrah was to grab the opportunity.

“We were on the same page and wanted a battery of fast bowlers. He was ready for a scrap. Wanted to play hard. Meanwhile, we made it a free-for-all in the nets. However, he was the first guy to embrace it;  was quite prepared to look ugly in the nets and the mindset changed,” he added further.