The 12 Yorkers That Changed Indian Cricket: How John Wright Discovered a 19-Year-Old Jasprit Bumrah

AKM Shaifulla: Today, Jasprit Bumrah is the man every captain wants with the ball in the final over. His short run-up and stiff-arm action go against every coaching manual ever written. Yet, long before he became the world’s best fast bowler, one man saw greatness in that strange action when Bumrah was just a teenager. That man is non other than the former India coach John Wright.

Back in 2013, Wright was scouting talent for the Mumbai Indians during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match between Gujarat and Mumbai in Ahmedabad. On the field was a skinny 19-year-old pacer from Gujarat with an awkward jump and a weird release point. Most coaches would have tried to fix his action. Wright, however, looked at where the ball was landing. He watched in amazement as the teenager bowled 12 pin-point yorkers in a row. The control was unbelievable for someone so young.

Wanting a second opinion, Wright walked up to Gujarat captain Parthiv Patel to ask about the youngster. Parthiv did not waste words. He simply replied, "Boom!" That one-word review was enough to birth a famous nickname and seal the deal. Wright trusted his gut and immediately brought Bumrah into the Mumbai Indians camp.

The real test came shortly after in the Mumbai nets, where Wright asked the newcomer to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar. Watching from behind the nets, Wright saw Bumrah trouble the master himself with sheer pace and an angle that was almost impossible to pick.

After the session, an impressed Tendulkar walked over to Wright and asked, "John, who is this kid? His ball is really hard to read!"

With Wright’s sharp eye and Sachin’s stamp of approval, an unknown boy from Gujarat stepped onto the big stage and fast bowling was never the same again.