‘What is the future of Jasprit Bumrah?’ ‘Why is he underperforming in the ongoing IPL?’ ‘What about his workload management?’ ‘Will his unorthodox bowling mechanics cause more injuries?’ Such is the aura surrounding Bumrah that everything related to his cricket seems to become headline material.
Steffan Jones, arguably one of the best fast-bowling coaches around, attempts to break down the various aspects related to the Indian spearhead.
“Bumrah is probably the best bowler at the minute,” he told RevSportz. “A lot of people will agree with that. But here is the key point – as long as you have four strides into the wicket that are natural and cyclical – by that, I mean the running – Bumrah walks to the wicket but still gets those four strides in.
“I watched the last game at the Wankhede; there was a little hump, and his last four strides looked different. That is why he probably did not have the game he wanted. I would not change a thing about Bumrah. I would just ensure that he has a strong front leg because, ultimately, he is a pitcher. He has an incredible front-leg block. He has great arm speed. He has extra movement around his joints, which is fair within the rules. There is an additional element to having hypermobility, around 5–10 per cent. He is fine. I think the tough thing for him is the pressure of being Jasprit Bumrah.
“If I were coaching him, I would try to ensure that his workload management is right. Not under-bowling. It is difficult for a bowler, especially one who is quirky and has his own way of doing things – they rely on rhythm. He needs to keep playing, but perhaps not bowl too much in one spell. Fast bowling is about frequency of practice – doing the skill little and often. You can lose speed in five days. If you do not bowl for five days, you lose that sharpness. So, if a bowler is over-managed, they are always trying to find rhythm.”
In the recent past, Jones has also coached young Indian fast bowlers. One of his notable stints was with Nitish Kumar Reddy, helping him ramp up his pace in a short span of time.
“I was contacted by his agent while I was on my way to South Africa to conduct another camp,” said Jones. “I want to help all fast bowlers. Everyone can bowl faster – it is about tapping into that potential. I cannot give them the ability to bowl fast if they haven’t already got it. But what I can do is just get it out of them.
“I made a big detour to Bengaluru before going to Cape Town. I worked with Nitish for seven days. I assessed and profiled him as a hip-dominant bowler – very tendon-driven and very springy. I identified areas for improvement. The IPL was close by, and I am also good friends with Varun Aaron. I saw huge improvements in a very short period because he is one of the best athletes around. He has been able to maintain that, which is great, as he seems to be a very dedicated athlete.”
Incidentally, as the high-performance fast-bowling coach of Rajasthan Royals, Jones also worked with Ashok Sharma, the tearaway quick. Ashok now plies his trade for Gujarat Titans.
“Ashok was a net bowler with us, and he showed huge promise,” he said. “In fact, four bowlers bowled above 142 kph, which was incredible. I made a point of saying all the net bowlers were quicker than some other teams’ main bowlers. He has a solid action, is a good athlete, and has the right mindset to bowl fast. With careful management and encouragement to bowl fast – without worrying too much about accuracy or skill initially, as that will come – bowlers can progress. If you focus on those aspects first, they tend to slow down and unlearn the ability to bowl quickly.”
Soon, the discussion turned to another exciting talent – Mayank Yadav. Mayank, who has bowled at speeds in excess of 150 kph, has suffered a spate of injuries and has only recently returned to competitive cricket from a serious back injury.
“When you have a bowler who bowls at the speed of light like Mayank Yadav, you give him time,” said Jones. “You are patient with him and ensure he gets the right care and attention. But he must bowl. Under-bowling in match intensity and over-bowling in net intensity is one of the biggest factors behind injuries. It is difficult, constantly returning from injury.”
Jones has always had an interesting take on the volume of overs bowled by pacers in the nets. “It is about ensuring they are neither under-bowled nor over-bowled,” he explained. “I also believe many bowlers are under-bowled, which leads to workload spikes, and that is what causes injuries.
“My advice to these bowlers is to train properly and not over-bowl in the nets because there is a massive disconnect between the number of deliveries bowled at lower intensity in nets and match-day demands. Injuries occur on match days. That shows that counting balls without considering speed does not prepare them adequately.
“Research shows that sudden spikes in workload cause injuries, not steady workloads. Too many bowlers in India, in my view, are trained to bowl; they are not trained to play. There is a difference in intensity. Net bowling does not prepare you because match intensity is at a completely different level. Learn the skill of bowling quickly in a game.”
Jones also travels across the cricketing landscape to nurture young fast bowlers. In that context, what are his views on India’s upcoming fast-bowling cartel? The coach is full of praise for India’s young pacers, although he offers a word of caution regarding their management.
“There is so much potential – more than anywhere else in the world,” he noted. “There is a good crop of fast bowlers in India at the minute that needs careful management. If the country gets it right, it is exciting times for Indian fast bowling.”
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