star Indian Pacemaker Jasprit Bumrahknown for his calm demeanor on the field, surprised fans and experts alike with his fiery celebration during the ongoing fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The composed archer usually heads towards Australian Opening the match after dismissing Usman Khawaja on the last ball of the first day, Sam Konstas showed a rare burst of aggression.
Bumrah's reaction sparked controversy among cricket fans, prompting the fast bowler to address his aggressive style during a recent interview with Forbes India. He explained that although he is an aggressive competitor, he does not believe in abusing hitters to get his point across.
“I'm aggressive, but I don't need to be offensive.”
Speaking about his mentality on the field, Bumrah explained that his aggressiveness is reflected in his body language and bowling style, and not through verbal confrontations.
I am aggressive. “It's just that I don't need to go and abuse the batsman,” Bumrah said. “When I was a kid, I saw bowlers on TV screaming and going head-to-head. But when I tried it, I became very aggressive, and it wasn't working for me.
The 31-year-old said he consciously worked on controlling his emotions after realizing that pushing boundaries affected his performance.
“When I'm nice and calm, people don't know what's going on in my head. It gives me a mental advantage,” he added.
Bumrah's philosophy of aggression
Bumrah believes bowlers have to be aggressive, especially in modern cricket, which heavily favors batsmen. However, his version of aggression is more about focus and intent than verbal battles.
“I'm not there to give hits to the batters. I'm there to do my job and make my team win.” “But my approach to aggression is different. My body language and the way I run and run, that's how I show aggression.
While Bumrah prefers to stay in his own zone, he does not back down when challenged by opponents.
“I won't lie; It happens. But I don't start it. When it comes my way, I don't back down either,” Bumrah explained. “It's very easy for me to start that fight, but I don't do it consciously because I want to stay in the moment.”
The Constas Incident: What happened?
The heated exchange between Bumrah and Australian debutant Sam Konstas happened during the final hour of the first day at the SCG. The incident started when Al Khawaja took extra time to settle into the crease, which disturbed Bumrah's rhythm.
Konstas, who was standing at the non-striker's end, made a comment that elicited a reaction from Bumrah. The Indian driver, known for his calm personality, did not back down this time.
In the next ball, Bumrah forced Khawaja to edge KL Rahul at second slip. His celebratory charge towards Konstas added to the intensity of the moment, with Virat Kohli also joining in from the slip cordon.
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