AHMEDABAD: The Goyal Intercity society in Thaltej Road, Ahmedabad is considered a calm place and it was its true elements on Thursday evening. Same can be said about the Nirman High School. The classes were over early and it was as quiet as an empty classroom could be.
You wander around the gates of the society and mention Jasprit Bumrah, the security guard nods in recognition. He had lived there for a few years. Later though Bumrah had left the C-4 block, where he grew up, to a different address. In the school, you don’t even have to say the name.
There is banner of the Nirman Cricket Academy with Bumrah’s picture. His face is pasted all over. News articles and pictures of Bumrah from various tournaments were on display. After all, they are proud of the ex-student of Nirman — Bumrah.
Soon after the India-Afghanistan game got over in New Delhi on Wednesday, all the attention shifted to the hosts’ clash against Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. Bumrah, who was there at the post-match press conference, couldn't have escaped the obvious question -- whether it is a homecoming for him. But the pacer, in his own way, subtly diverted the topic and shed a few ounces of pressure off his shoulders.
“I'll be happy to see my mother at home. I'm going to see her. That's the first basic thing for me,” he said with a laugh before adding, “It's obviously playing at home. I have not played a one-day international here. I played a Test match. So yeah, the atmosphere is going to be exciting. I'm sure a lot of people are going to come. It will be a sight to see. So yeah, hoping for the best over there.”
At this point, there is very little that is not known about Bumrah the cricketer. His journey and story are well chronicled. The same is the case with his skills and variations. So much so that when asked about how he is feeling since his comeback, Bumrah came up with this: “See, at the end of the day you guys will anyway decide that this is, I was like this, I was like that, what I am doing." He went on to explain about his process, but the thing to be noticed here is how shrewd he is off the field as well -- something that is not talked about too much.
From growing up on the streets of Ahmedabad as an introvert and shy kid who loved to bowl more than anything else to captain India in a Test match, Bumrah sure has come a long way. But according to one of his childhood friends, Preet Mehta, his smartness and intellect have always been the same.
“He has always been that kind of a guy. He was always smart enough to know what was going on, though his own approach which he follows. Now, a lot of people know him and that is why they talk about him. But he has always been an intellectually smart from the beginning. He always knew what needs to be done (in any given situation) and that is how he follows the process. It is never the case where he doesn’t know what he is doing. He usually knows what he’s doing,” recalled Mehta, who grew up with Bumrah in Goyal Intercity society.
It is something the Indian pacer spoke about as well. How he doesn't emphasise much on results when it comes to cricket; how he just takes the day at a time and follows the process that helps him to thrive irrespective of conditions and opponents. This perhaps is what is behind Bumrah's success -- trust his skills and experiment without being worried about consequences or results.
As Bumrah gets ready for his homecoming in the World Cup, Ketul Purohit — one of his childhood coaches — is thrilled. "He has always been special. From being an ‘Ekdum silent’ kid, he has matured a lot,” said Purohit. For Mehta, it's a surreal feeling. “We have played together and grown up together,” he said.
While Purohit is in Rajasthan for a tournament and will not be making it to the Narendra Modi Stadium to cheer for his ward on Saturday, Mehta is planning to but hasn’t decided yet. Whether he is able to make it or not, come Saturday, the venue is likely to be filled with the echoes of the chant — Boom boom Bumrah — with the crowd cheering for one of their own.