The 24-year-old Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat has opened up on his nerve-wracking first encounter with Jasprit Bumrah within the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Virat Kohli on the non-striker’s finish.
Within the 18th match of the Indian Premier League 2022, Royal Challengers Bengaluru locked horns with Mumbai Indians on April 9 on the Maharashtra Cricket Affiliation Stadium in Pune.
Whereas bathing first, Mumbai Indians did a good job, and driving on Suryakumar Yadav’s good 68 in addition to Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma’s 26s, they posted 151/6 runs on the board.
When Royal Challengers Bengaluru got here to chase, Faf du Plessis wasn’t capable of play properly and he could not get going. Nonetheless, his opening companion, Anuj Rawat, batted exceptionally properly in opposition to Mumbai Indians, and after 8 overs, they had been on the rating of fifty with Rawat doing the majority of the scoring.
Rawat stored batting brilliantly within the innings and smashed 66 runs off 47 balls, with 2 fours and 6 sixes. He was concerned in an 80-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who hit 36-ball 48 and took RCB nearer to win. In the long run, RCB gained the match by 7 wickets.
Nonetheless, the whole lot was not very clean for Anuj Rawat throughout his innings as he confronted the premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah whereas being 200 % nervous.
Talking about that conflict with Jasprit Bumrah, Anuj Rawat revealed that the RCB coach, Sanjay Bangar, helped him put together to take care of the specter of the star quick bowler.
“Earlier than that sport in opposition to Mumbai Indians, our coach Sanjay [Bangar] sir had already sounded me off. He stated ‘Agar Bumrah aaya, kya lagta hai, kya ball daalega? Kya karega? (What do you assume Bumrah will bowl to you? What’s going to he do?)’ I stated, ‘He’ll bowl full, the size to flick the ball’.
“He stated ‘Sure’, and actually that was the ball he bowled to me. He focused my legs, however I labored it away for a few runs,” Anuj Rawat informed India’s Beneath-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra on his podcast.
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I used to be nervous for certain, most likely 200 % nervous I’d say – Anuj Rawat on Jasprit Bumrah
The wicketkeeper-batsman stated that the half-century in opposition to Mumbai Indians in entrance of Virat Kohli gave him an enormous confidence enhance.
“As for the knock, the fifty gave me quite a lot of confidence and what made it particular was after I acquired there, Virat Kohli was on the non-striker finish. I had already performed 3-4 video games earlier than that, however the consolation degree acquired higher and also you get to know that we now belong right here.”
In the meantime, Anuj Rawat stated that even after getting ready to take care of Bumrah, he got here underneath great seeing the pacer working in to bowl. Notably, Rawat scored 7 runs, excluding 2 leg byes, off 10 deliveries Bumrah bowled to him.
“I had by no means confronted him earlier than. That was the primary time. I used to be nervous for certain, most likely 200 per cent nervous, I’d say. Like I stated, Sanjay sir had already gotten me ready, so I used to be settled however nonetheless, once you see Bumrah coming in, it does hit you slightly,” Anuj Rawat added.
