In the high-octane world of T20 cricket, where batters often steal the spotlight with towering sixes and fearless strokeplay, there comes a bowler now and then who changes the narrative entirely. Jasprit Bumrah is that bowler. And former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin couldn’t agree more. In fact, Ashwin went a step further, hailing Bumrah as a ‘cheat code’ in modern-day T20 cricket — a term gamers would instantly relate to.
For Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah isn’t just another pace bowler; he’s the kind of match-winner who elevates not just the bowling attack, but even the reputation of his captain. Mumbai Indians had a rough start in the IPL 2025 season, struggling to find rhythm in the absence of their pace lynchpin. Bumrah, recovering from an injury, missed the early matches.
But once he returned, the transformation in MI’s fortunes was nothing short of dramatic. With his calm temperament, deadly accuracy, and ability to bowl under pressure, Bumrah restored MI’s confidence and helped them claw their way back into the playoffs. His standout moment came during the high-scoring Eliminator against the Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh.
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On a belter of a pitch where over 400 runs were scored across both innings, Bumrah’s four-over spell read like a masterpiece in control and precision. He gave away just 27 runs and delivered a game-changing yorker at 143 kmph to dismiss Washington Sundar, who until then was threatening to turn the tide in GT’s favour. That single moment broke an 84-run stand and reaffirmed Bumrah’s unmatched ability to influence games under pressure.
With 18 wickets in 11 games this season, Bumrah currently sits as the sixth-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2025. What’s more impressive are his bowling metrics — an economy rate of just 6.36 and an average of 15.33 — in a tournament that batters have otherwise dominated.
On his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin gushed over Bumrah’s value, even humorously comparing him to cheat codes in racing games like Road Rash or NFS. “You key in that one code and suddenly, you’re unbeatable. That’s Bumrah in today’s T20 cricket. Even if the asking rate is high, he comes in and suddenly you’re chasing 20 more than you thought. He makes captains look better than they are,” Ashwin said, referring to how Bumrah’s presence simplifies decision-making for skippers under pressure.
Ashwin, though, was quick to avoid cross-generational comparisons with legends like Wasim Akram and Malcolm Marshall. “I’ve watched Wasim, not Malcolm. But comparisons across eras are unfair. In today’s Indian cricket, where batters dominate the conversation, Bumrah’s rise has given Indian fast bowling a new identity,” he added.
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For Ashwin, Bumrah isn’t just an elite bowler — he’s a symbol of the changing face of Indian cricket, where a fast bowler can command as much awe and admiration as a top-order batter. Bumrah’s journey has not just inspired a generation of Indian pacers but also shifted the conversation towards skill, intelligence, and execution in fast bowling.
As the IPL 2025 enters its final stages, there’s little doubt that Jasprit Bumrah remains Mumbai Indians’ most potent weapon — and Indian cricket’s biggest fast-bowling ambassador.
