Jasprit Bumrah is Once in a Lifetime Bowler: Strength Expert Ramji Srinivasan | MyKhel Exclusive

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Jaspirt Bumrah has created a fear psychosis in Australia. Not only does he prey on the minds of their batters, but even their media is obsessed with his actions, and how he bowls and is almost unplayable. On Sunday, Star Sports ran a promo for the Boxing Day Test in the BGT Series, starting in Melbourne on December 26.

The whole video is on Bumrah's bowling, and how he can fire deliveries that are unplayable. From the angle from which the video has been shot, one gets to see how short a run-up Bumrah completes the steps economically and then unleashes the red cherry.

He has been almost unplayable and tops the charts in wicket-taking in this series also. Yes, Bumrah has created a mass hysteria of sorts. Australia, a nation that produced legends like Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, and many more is going bonkers over Bumrah.

And the 31-year-old Indian continues to smile. And destroy. If Michael Holding was described as 'Whispering Death,' BOOM Rahh is a "Silent Assassin. This writer engaged with Ramji Srinivasan to get an expert view on how Bumrah does this. For those unaware, Ramji is a strength and conditioning expert.

He was with the Indian team which won the 2011 ICC World Cup in Mumbai. Ramji has educated himself to high levels in Australia and has been hands-on with elite athletes, yet maintains a low profile. Many years ago, he had even developed the strength programme for Formula One racer Narain Karthikeyan.

Ramji has also worked with Chennai Super Kings. In an exclusive interview with MyKhel, Ramji opened up on Bumrah. "He is a rare gem. I think the whole world has discussed and debated how Bumrah bowls. I will quickly mention whatever I have seen of Bumrah, he is once in a once-in-a-lifetime bowler. Watch his videos from the past, he, too, had a long run-up and bowled. Now he has cut that run up to such an economical level and can still unleash deliveries that are unplayable," says Ramji.

A few technical points from Ramji Srinivasan, who spends a lot of time in Chennai with various types of athletes. He has also been with the MRF Pace Foundation for a long time.

"Recall Wasim Akram, towards the latter part of his career, he had cut on his run-up. But he could still swing the ball, make it wobble. He was a delight. I will go back to the way Lasith Malinga bowled, a slinging action. Bumrah has reduced his run up but he is still so fast. He can bowl the cutters both ways, he is God-gifted, a freak of sorts. I mean, he is God-gifted and how he has kept himself so fit is a delight," says Ramji.

The Chennai-based expert says the "hyperextension of the elbow and wrist strength flick" that Bumrah uses is resulting in him being so lethal. "It's very hard for the batter to spot what he will bowl. It can be at dangerous lengths, it can be a yorker, and it's like batters are just guessing all the time. To my mind, 'front foot bracing' which Bumrah uses to bowl makes him most dangerous.

"There are various ways fast bowlers charged in if you watched Imran Khan, who ran a great deal to steam in and bowled so furiously. Late Malcom Marshall also was too quick, he had a fast run-up and then became a terror when he let the ball fly. In Bumrah's case, his short run is so effective when he released the delivery, that no prediction can be made. I don't think any other bowler can imitate him but if anyone says he will get injured, I don't think so. He knows how to manage his body well with the experts who are with him," said Ramji.

On 'front foot bracing,' it is a technique that involves keeping the front leg 'straight and still' from the moment the front foot hits the ground until the ball is released. Watch Bumrah replays, and you will understand the dynamics better. "Kannan Sir, I hope this is not jargon for the common fan. Even I am still learning," said a modest Ramji.

For the record, he has worked with Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and even Gautam Gambhir in the past. It is Ramji's modesty, he does not talk about all this. His Sports Dynamics HPC (high-performance centre) in Chennai is a temple which is visited by many. Just that Ramji does not work for publicity at all.