India and Mumbai Indians fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has become a menace for batsmen around the world in all formats and also an inspiration of aspiring cricketers.
His odd action was once deemed too risky and prone to injuries. But the right-arm quick proved his detractors wrong by not only earning an India cap but turning into a premier fast bowler of all formats and conditions.
Such has been the rise of Bumrah that kids from Pakistan to Australia have started to copy his action, running with the trademark leap and arms ramrod straight.
While coaches have warned bowlers to not copy Bumrah’s action as it puts extreme stress on the back, that hasn’t stopped bowlers from replicating Bumrah’s action. But while cricket fans have seen many young kids trying to bowl like Bumrah, the ongoing IPL edition has a bowler who bowls exactly like the Indian pace ace.
Karnataka fast bowler Mahesh Kumar was seen in the Royal Challengers Bangalore nets on Tuesday, trying to test the batsmen ahead of their clash against Mumbai Indians.
In a video of the bowler posted by ESPNcricinfo, a Bumrah-like bowler can be seen bowling to Bangalore batsman.
Thank you so much! @ESPNcricinfo @RCBTweets https://t.co/bAUKqzGujV
— Mahesh Kumar P (@Mahi1428) March 27, 2019
It turned out to be Kumar, who has bowled to Indian batsmen before, according to Asianet news.
In the report, 22-year-old Kumar is quoted as saying that he has had the action since he was a kid and is now only looking to increase his pace. He was reportedly gifted a pair of shoes by Bangalore coach Ashish Nehra.
“I have not copied Jasprit Bumrah. I have the same bowling action since I was an eight-year-old. After watching Bumrah, now I am trying to increase my pace,” Kumar was quoted as saying.
Kumar said he has been bowling at India and Bangalore nets for a couple of years.
“It was in 2017 that I bowled at India nets before a match against England. Since then I have been coming to bowl whenever the team is here in Bengaluru. Recently, I bowled before the India-Australia T20,” Kumar added.
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