Early Encounters with Bumrah

I first faced Jasprit Bumrah in a club match when he was still a teenager, long before he became my India team-mate. There were other bowlers playing in the game who had played first-class cricket, but he was just different. These days, as we have seen through the current Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, he is a complete bowler, but back then, the main thing about him was his pace. He was rapid.

Rise to Prominence

Throughout the following years, he began to make his name in the Indian Premier League. Before he played his first Test in Cape Town in South Africa in 2018, there were still a lot of question marks around him in India. His action was unique, and people questioned whether he would be able to swing the red ball or if he had the consistency and control for the longer format. He may have only taken four wickets in that first Test, but he answered all of those questions.

Unique Bowling Style

I remember standing at first slip with Virat Kohli next to me at second and Shikhar Dhawan at third. We were all saying how it just felt unlike any of the other bowlers. We had Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Hardik Pandya playing in that game, but again, he felt different. Shami was quick, but Bumrah was quicker. Much is made about the angle created by his action and his position wide on the crease being difficult for batters, but it is tricky for slip fielders too.

Off the Field

Off the field, Jasprit is an introvert. He spends a lot of time in his room. It is not in a bad way; he just enjoys his own company. There was a group of us – myself, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and former wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha – who would always be playing Fifa on the PlayStation while on tour, and whenever we invited Jasprit, it was hard work getting him there.

Key Performances

Bumrah needed the help of a good partner when playing Fifa - as a gamer, he's not up to much - but it was on his first tour of England in 2018 when he went up another level as a bowler. By the time we went to Australia the following winter, we realized he was our wildcard that would play for India a very long time. He was instrumental as we won in Australia for the first time.

Cricketing Brain

Most people talk about Bumrah's skills with the ball, his angle, or his action, but his biggest strength is often overlooked. He has a brilliant cricket brain which comes from his time in the IPL. There he worked with people like former Sri Lanka bowler Lasith Malinga and has gained the skills to outsmart a batter.

Team Player

Ultimately, he is the perfect team man. Whether batting or bowling, he is a very competitive cricketer. When it comes to his bowling, no matter the situation of the game, he always wants and believes he can get a wicket.

Cheteshwar Pujara was speaking to BBC Sport's Matthew Henry.