Fit And Firing Again, Bumrah Bracing Up For The Big Stage

Much like Zaheer was for MS Dhoni in 2011, the pacer will be the man that Rohit looks to when he senses India are losing grip

- Vivek Krishnan

10-0-81-3. By Jasprit Bumrah's standards, his bowling figures in Wednesday's third ODI against Australia - the final dress rehearsal before the World Cup were unremarkable. But if you want to know why he is the undisputed leader of India's bowling attack, why his injury status during his yearlong layoff was so closely tracked, and why a billion hearts pound with anxiety every time he grimaces with pain on the playing field, you only need to watch his third spell on Wednesday for the answers.

The surface in Rajkot was a featherbed and the outfield akin to a billiards table, the ball speeding to the boundary every time it passed the 30-yard circle. The margin for error was minimal for the bowlers; a tad short and the square boundaries were peppered; a tad full and punishment straight down the ground was in store. Even Bumrah wasn't spared, his first three overs costing 26 runs. When he was brought back in the 23rd over, the broad shoulders of Mitchell Marsh carted him for more. He had now conceded 51 runs in five overs, perhaps his first reminder since his comeback of the brutal realities of international cricket.

Back with a bang