Always Wanted To Do Well In Test Cricket, Says Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah is the first Asian pacer to take five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies, besides becoming the fastest Indian fast bowler to 50 Test wickets

Ace Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is touching new heights with every series he is featuring in. The right-armer has picked up 62 wickets in just 12 Tests and was magical in the recent tour of the West Indies, where he scalped 13 wickets in two Tests, including a hat-trick. Moreover, he is also the first Asian pacer to take five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies, besides becoming the fastest Indian fast bowler to 50 Test wickets. Before heading forward into the home series against South Africa, the 26-year-old said that he always wanted to do well in Tests and not restrict himself to just limited-overs cricket. “For me, Test cricket was very important and I always wanted to play Tests and didn't want to be a cricketer who has played (only) T20s and ODIs. I gave a lot of importance to Test cricket... I always wanted to make a mark in Tests,” Bumrah said at a promotional event here on Friday. “I had the belief that I do well in first-class cricket, I could replicate that in Test matches. The journey has just started and I have just played 12 Tests. When I made my Test debut in South Africa after playing two years of international cricket, it was a dream come true (moment). “Playing in the white jersey was a great feeling, and then slowly contributing to the team's success gave me satisfaction,” said Bumrah, who is the third Indian to pick a Test hat-trick after Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan. Quizzed about his away going delivery, Bumrah said, “Not mastering it, but I always had the out-swinger and not used it. But playing in England gave me a lot of confidence... the duke ball swings for a long time and that gave me a lot of confidence. I became more confident as I played more Tests.”