Jasprit Bumrah staged a remarkable return to competitive cricket, gracing the field after an absence of nearly 11 months. His resurgence was highlighted during the inaugural T20I of the India-Ireland three-match series at The Village in Dublin on Friday, August 18th. The illustrious right-arm fast bowler, a gem in India's cricketing legacy, swiftly dismissed the former Ireland captain with only his second delivery. Although Balbirnie managed a boundary off the first ball, Bumrah exacted revenge promptly by dismantling his stumps. In a sequence of precision, Bumrah then dispatched Lorcan Tucker, the wicketkeeper-batsman, back to the pavilion just three balls later, thanks to a catch by Sanju Samson.
In the series opener, Bumrah showcased his mastery by securing two wickets at the expense of 24 runs across his four-over spell for the Indian team. The match concluded with a slender victory of two runs (via the D/L method). Recognizing his stellar performance, Bumrah clinched the coveted Player of the Match title for the inaugural T20I encounter. This achievement marked a distinctive milestone for Bumrah as he assumed leadership in T20Is for the first time, becoming the 11th Indian player to do so. Notably, he achieved an unprecedented feat by becoming the sole Indian cricketer to secure the Player of the Match accolade in his debut T20I captaincy appearance.
The annals of Indian cricket have witnessed illustrious captains like Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya. However, Bumrah now stands apart in this list of leaders, as none of his predecessors managed to seize the Player of the Match honor during their tenures as T20I captains.
