'There were questions about whether I'd ever make a comeback.'
Jasprit Bumrah found himself in a battle against a persistent back injury, one that refused to heal as quickly as anticipated.
This stress fracture forced him to miss major tournaments, including the T20 World Cup, leaving a glaring gap in the Indian team's roster and affecting their pursuit of tournament victories.
During his absence, his delayed return to the cricket pitch provoked some tasteless memes, but Bumrah remained undeterred by the unnecessary carping abut his absence.
In August, Bumrah received the green signal for his comeback and was entrusted the captaincy for the T20I series against Ireland. Doubts persisted about whether he could regain his former prowess.
Fast forward to October and Bumrah has answered those doubts with a remarkable resurgence. He appears even more formidable and menacing than before.
Bumrah has taken 14 wickets from 6 matches. On Sunday, October 29, 2023, against England, he delivered a spectacular performance, taking 3/32 to dismiss the defending champions for a mere 129 runs.
'My wife, the TV sports presenter Sanjana Ganesan, also works in the sports-media department. So, yes, I heard many doubts about my career, and there were questions about whether I'd ever make a comeback, but it doesn't really matter. I'm very content,' Bumrah shared with Sky Sports after India's convincing 100 run victory over England.
'Upon my return, I realised just how much I love playing the game. I wasn't chasing anything specific. I was in a great headspace when I came back from the injury. So, in the end, I'm focusing on the positives and trying to relish every moment as much as possible.'
