Jasprit Bumrah's journey to becoming a world-class bowler began with his international debut in January 2016 against Australia. While he is now celebrated as one of the best fast bowlers in the world, the story of his initial inclusion in the Indian team reveals the crucial role played by veteran pacer Ishant Sharma.

Before his international debut, Bumrah had already made an impact in domestic cricket. He played for Gujarat in the 2013-14 season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic T20 competition. His performance earned him a spot in the Mumbai Indians squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

However, it was an impressive performance in the 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy final that truly caught Ishant Sharma's eye. Ishant, who was playing for Delhi against Gujarat in that match, witnessed Bumrah's match-winning spell firsthand. Bumrah's performance in that game, where he picked up five wickets, left a lasting impression on Ishant.

Ishant recalled that Bumrah had a different bowling action at the time. According to Ishant, Bumrah "used to have a proper fast bowler's run-up, not like how he does it today". Despite the differences in his action, Bumrah's effectiveness was undeniable.

Following that match, the Indian team traveled to Australia. Ishant Sharma spoke to Ravi Shastri, who was the team's mentor at the time, and strongly recommended Bumrah's inclusion in the squad. Ishant told Ravi Shastri, "If we need anyone in this team, it's Jasprit Bumrah". He emphasized Bumrah's unique action and bowling abilities.

As fate would have it, Bhuvneshwar Kumar suffered an injury, creating an opening for Bumrah. Bumrah, who was not originally part of the squad, was drafted in as a replacement. He made his debut in the fifth match of the ODI series and immediately impressed, taking 2/40. His first international wicket was that of Steve Smith. India won the match by six wickets, which was their only victory in the five-match series.

Since his debut, Bumrah has become a key player for India across all formats of the game. He has contributed to Mumbai Indians' title wins five times in the IPL. In February 2024, Bumrah achieved the top spot in the ICC men's Test bowling rankings for the first time. Moreover, he is the first bowler to have held the number one ranking in all three cricket formats, though not simultaneously.