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Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh shared an interesting story from his comeback phase, recalling how he once asked a teenage Jasprit Bumrah, who was then 16 years old, to stop bowling during a net session due to the pacer's sheer pace and intensity.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on the Overlap Cricket YouTube channel with Michael Vaughan, Yuvraj said, "When I was trying to come back, and he was 16 years old, he was bowling really quick in the nets. It was 2013, and I was like, 'I want this kid out of the nets, stop bowling to me,' because I was just recovering from cancer and trying to get back to cricket." The legendary all-rounder added, "This guy was bowling lethally. I was like, 'Kid, stop--whoever you are!'" Yuvraj went on to highlight India's spearhead Bumrah's raw pace and unique attributes even at a young age. "He had a long run-up and didn't have many skills back then, but he was extremely quick. With his action, he had that deceptive bounce--it kept getting onto your ribs all the time," he explained. Praising the right-arm pacer's evolution further, Yuvraj said Bumrah has become one of the most feared bowlers in modern cricket. "If you look at the way the game is evolving, he has to be the best because batsmen are not going after him. They're scared to attack him and prefer rotating the strike against other bowlers. And when they do try, he doesn't allow them. He's very smart, has great skill, and his deceptive action makes it difficult to pick his slower deliveries," he said. Bumrah, who has since gone on to become one of the world's leading fast bowlers, has been known for his pace, accuracy, and ability to trouble even the best batters, a trait that was evident even in his early days. Earlier, Bumrah displayed his importance during the knockout stages of a marquee tournament that helped the hosts lift the coveted T20 World Cup trophy on March 8. Being exceptional throughout the tournament, Bumrah picked two wickets in the Super 8 clash against the West Indies, which included the scalp of the in-form Shimron Hetmyer. India's go-to-bowler then delivered a riveting performance in the semi-final against England in a game where every bowler was going at more than 9.50 runs per over. Giving away just eight and six runs in the 16th and 18th overs, respectively, Bumrah was the point of difference with his bowling figures reading 4-0-33-1, as the English eventually fell short by just seven runs, chasing 253. The yorker specialist followed it up with a four-wicket haul, giving away just 15 runs in his four overs, in the final against the Black Caps and was rewarded the Player of the Match. Currently, the veteran pacer is featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 tournament, where he is playing for the five-time champions Mumbai Indians. (ANI)
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