From shy child to cricket legend: Inside Jasprit Bumrah's life journey

Jasprit Bumrah's neighbour, a senior journalist, wrote an emotional post for the India star after his stunning performance in the T20 World Cup Final in Barbados

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was honoured as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ following India’s triumph over South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday (June 29). In the wake of this victory, journalist Deepal Trivedi, Bumrah’s neighbour and close family friend, dedicated an emotional post on social media platform X, sharing intimate details of Bumrah’s early life in Ahmedabad.

In her tribute, Trivedi candidly admitted her initial lack of interest in cricket, only knowing Virat Kohli as Anushka Sharma’s husband. She revealed that Bumrah’s mother, Daljit, is her best friend and recounted how Daljit had asked her to take a day off in 1993 for the birth of her child.

 

“That was my first time touching a newborn baby. All I remember was that the baby was lanky. He was trying to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. The nurse said he was a boy. He was thin and weak. And the doctor soon took charge,” Trivedi reminisced about the moment she first held Bumrah.

Trivedi’s post also detailed the hardships faced by the Bumrah family after the untimely death of Bumrah’s father. “My friend’s husband passed away soon. Life changed drastically. We were hopeless. That entire month, I took care of the kids, reading to them. The boy was never interested and instead started playing with a cheap plastic ball. Sometimes, I would eat their biscuits because I was starving while babysitting. We starved, struggled, cried, and fought.”

Reflecting on Bumrah’s struggles, Trivedi added, “But the boy’s struggles were the worst. We could hardly afford a packet of Amul Dairy or any milk for him. As he grew up, his mother worked at least 16-18 hours a day to make ends meet.”

She recalled another moment when she bought a windcheater for Bumrah. “I remember once I received a raise at work and went to Westside, the poshest shop I knew, to buy a kurta. Jasprit, about eight years old, was there with his mother, hiding behind her dupatta. He wanted a windcheater. That’s my only gift to him. I spent Diwali, Christmas, and my birthday without a new kurta, but his windcheater gave me the satisfaction of wearing a Rajdeep Ranawat or a Manish Malhotra.”

Praising Bumrah’s cricketing journey and his outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup 2024, Trivedi wrote, “Unlike his sister, he was a shy, reticent child. He is a legend now. Last night, he played a crucial role in winning the World Cup for us. Every Indian must be proud of him and learn from him. His humility remains unchanged. His name is Jasprit Bumrah.”

Trivedi also shared a series of photos with Jasprit Bumrah, his wife Sanjana Ganesan, his son Angad, and his mother Daljit.

 

My cricket knowledge is Zero. I know Virat Kohli as Anushka's husband. He is so pleasant and I like when he tries to dance.
But this (long) post is about my hero. One day in December 1993, when my salary was less than Rs 800 a month, my best friend and next door neighbour… pic.twitter.com/uvWQmmAwwN

— Deepal.‏‎‎Trivedi #Vo! (@DeepalTrevedie) June 30, 2024

The post, which garnered 1.9 million views, elicited numerous reactions. One user commented, “That shy kid Jasprit is now the reason Rohit and Virat lifted the trophy as champions. Here’s to many more trophies masterminded by Jasprit Bumrah.” 

Another remarked, “I didn’t know Jasprit Bumrah had such a tough childhood and that Deepal Mam was so connected to him.”