Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis compared having Jasprit Bumrah in a team to having a genie in a lamp. He stated that the Indian fast bowler had the rare skill to give a captain exactly what he needed during crucial moments in a game.
Reacting after India’s win over England in the T20 World Cup semifinal, du Plessis stated that Bumrah’s impact goes well beyond traditional bowling stats and that he was a bowler every captain desired in tense situations.
“It’s a superpower that any captain dreams of. It’s like having a genie; you just rub the lamp, and out comes Bumrah,” du Plessis said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, referring to Bumrah’s ability to create breakthroughs at critical points in the game.
Bumrah once again showcased this talent during India’s victory at the Wankhede Stadium, where nearly 500 runs were scored in total. While batters from both sides excelled, he stood out for his control and composure, conceding just 33 runs from his four overs.
du Plessis suggested that India might not fully recognise how lucky they are to have a bowler who consistently performs well under pressure in all formats. “Team India doesn’t understand how fortunate they are to have him. It’s shown time and time again, no matter the format – just give him the ball, and he wins you games,” he said. The former South Africa captain also highlighted Bumrah’s unique bowling action as a key reason why batters struggle to exploit even minor execution errors.
He felt that Bumrah’s late release and awkward angles make it tough for batsmen to identify his deliveries early, especially when he is bowling at the end of the innings. “They know it’s going to be full -either a yorker or a slower ball – but even when he misses slightly, batters are often late on it because his action is so distinct,” du Plessis explained.
He likened this element of surprise to what batters faced against Sri Lanka’s great Lasith Malinga, whose slingy action made negotiating his yorkers exceptionally difficult. du Plessis praised India captain for how Bumrah was used during the semifinal. He noted that the fast bowler was held back for vital phases of the innings instead of being used too soon. “The real superpower is at the back end when the game is on the line. I thought they used him perfectly – good captaincy and good leadership,” he said.
