"It seemed like cycles in a cycle stand" - Aakash Chopra lauds Jasprit Bumrah's spell for MI vs KKR in IPL 2022
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batters fell like cycles in a cycle stand when confronted by Jasprit Bumrah in Monday's (May 9) IPL 2022 clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Bumrah registered sensational figures of 5/10 in his four overs as Rohit Sharma's side restricted KKR to a score of 165/8. However, the five-time champions were then bowled out for 113, thereby suffering their ninth defeat in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.
While reviewing the MI-KKR game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Bumrah made the KKR batters fall like ninepins. He elaborated:
"Jasprit Bumrah came and shone and told everyone 'tata bye-bye'. One after the other, it seemed like cycles in a cycle stand, one was made to fall and all fell after that. That was just the Bumrah magic."
The former India cricketer added that Andre Russell succumbed to his ego while facing Bumrah. Chopra explained:
"First, he dismissed Andre Russell, for the fourth time, and dismissed him by telling him that he will first bowl a yorker and then a bouncer, you will try to hit and get out. He (Russell) was playing Bumrah but also fighting his ego, that I have to hit him."
Russell smashed Murugan Ashwin for a six off the second delivery he faced. Bumrah, who was brought back into the attack from the other end, first bowled a perfect yorker and then a short-pitched delivery, which was hit by the Jamaican straight down Kieron Pollard's throat at long-on.
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"What more can a guy do?" - Aakash Chopra on the Mumbai Indians losing despite Jasprit Bumrah's five-wicket haul
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Bumrah's utmost best was also not enough to save the Mumbai Indians from a defeat. He said:
"Bumrah's five wickets were also of no use for Mumbai. The team might have lost but what more can a guy do - take out and give his heart, kidneys or liver?"
While acknowledging that Jasprit Bumrah's effort came in a losing cause, the reputed commentator still picked his spell as the game-defining performance. Chopra observed:
"For the first time in this season I am picking a player whose team did not win the match but he is my match protector. Five wickets in a four-over spell and how, by scaring and threatening, with anger and by saying that his name is Bumrah and there is no one like Jassi."
Jasprit Bumrah's returns of 5/10 are his best in T20 cricket. They are also the best figures in IPL 2022 thus far, surpassing Wanindu Hasaranga's 5/18 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).