Jasprit Bumrah’s Bowling Action: What Being Different Actually Costs
The Jasprit Bumrah bowling action is the favourite exhibit of every motivational speaker who wants to say “be different”. It is also the favourite exhibit of every physiotherapist who wants to say “please be careful”. Both are looking at the same man, and both have a point.
This article sits in our Cricket & Sports archive. It separates the documented results from the documented costs, then asks what the rest of us should actually take from it.
- Bumrah had 506 international wickets at 20.56 as of 3 August 2026 (NewsBytes).
- He was reported as the first bowler with 200 Test wickets at an average below 20 (Onmanorama, 2026).
- His injuries include a lower-back stress fracture in 2019, back surgery in 2023 and a back stress reaction in 2025.
- Experts disagree on whether the action causes the injuries; no study reviewed proves it.
- Unusual technique worked for him, but it came with workload management and medical support.
What makes the action unorthodox?
An unorthodox bowling action is a delivery technique that departs from the classical side-on run-up and smooth release taught to young fast bowlers.
Bumrah bowls off a very short run-up, with an open-chested sling-arm release and arm hyperextension. Richard Hadlee, himself a classical fast bowler, called him a shoulder or strength bowler whose pace comes from the final part of the action (IANS, 2019). Bowling coach Ian Pont said in 2022 that the hyperextension is within the guidelines, so the action is legal (Yahoo Sport, 2024).
What do the results show?
NewsBytes, Aug 2026
NewsBytes, Aug 2026
Onmanorama, 2026
Deakin researchers, 2019
When he started in 2016 he was expected to be a white-ball specialist, since his action suggested a Test career could be risky (The Week, 2025). Instead, he took 32 wickets at just over 13 in the 2024-25 series in Australia, bowling 152.1 overs in five Tests (ESPNcricinfo, 2025). Success is not subtle. For another bowler’s complicated narrative, see Hardik Pandya’s booing arc.
What are the documented costs?
The setbacks are well reported. NewsBytes lists a lower-back stress fracture in 2019, back spasms in 2022, and a back concern in Australia in 2024-25. ESPNcricinfo says he had back surgery in March 2023 and a back stress reaction found after Sydney in January 2025. He then expected to play only three of five Tests in England in 2025 (AFP, 2025). In August 2026 a knee injury sustained while fielding ruled him out of a two-Test series against Sri Lanka (NewsBytes, 2026).
Workload also shapes captaincy: Bumrah declined the Test captaincy because he could not play every match. That echoes a theme in our work-life balance myth article: capacity is finite, whoever you are.
Where do the experts disagree?
Deakin University’s Simon Feros and physiotherapist John Gloster studied the action and said that if his trunk side-bend exceeds 45 degrees it may pose lumbar concerns. Gloster also praised his early coaches for not forcing him into a textbook action (WION, 2019). Hadlee suspected Bumrah could be more vulnerable than classical bowlers (IANS, 2019).
Others push back. Nottingham Trent biomechanist Paul Felton said hypermobility gives him advantages, including potentially lower injury risk (Yahoo Sport, 2024). Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Abheek Kar said action cannot be the only reason for back injuries, since heavy bowling also contributes (The Telegraph India). Biomechanists disagree, so treat any single verdict with caution. This is why no-pain-no-gain thinking is a poor guide to injury, and why recovery is not a luxury, as in our self-care piece.
Which claims survive the evidence?
| Claim | What it promises | What the evidence says | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| The action makes him highly effective | Unorthodox equals advantage | 506 wickets at 20.56; 200 Test wickets under 20 (NewsBytes; Onmanorama, 2026) | Strong |
| The action will inevitably break him | A predictable injury | Warnings since 2019, injuries occurred, but he kept performing; Dr Kar says action is not the only cause | Mixed |
| Coaches should not change unusual actions | Protect the natural style | Gloster supports leaving it; Hadlee says it is hard to coach; no controlled evidence | Mixed |
| Hypermobility lowers his injury risk | A hidden advantage | One biomechanist’s view reported by media (Yahoo Sport, 2024) | Weak |
| The action is illegal | An unfair edge | Reports say hyperextension is within guidelines; no ruling found | None |
What is the case against this article?
The first objection is that a decade of elite results contradicts the injury warnings. That is fair: the warnings have not proved fatal to his career, and his own medical team has managed the risk.
The second is survivorship bias: we notice the unorthodox bowler who succeeded, not the many who did not. Another is that attributing injuries to the action is speculative, and the sources reviewed do not prove causation. The honest conclusion is narrower than “be different” or “be careful”: success and cost are both documented.
What can you take from it?
- Check results over years, not seasons, before calling an approach a strength.
- Budget for the cost of being different: support staff, recovery and limits.
- Copy principles, not techniques; Hadlee doubts the action can be taught.
- Be wary of inspirational shortcuts like overnight success stories and the LinkedIn version of this lesson.
- Do less when your body or schedule says so, as in our Bare Minimum Monday guide.
What are the common mistakes?
The common mistakes are treating “be different” as a plan, copying a technique without its support system, and assuming one expert verdict settles an open debate. Evidence limits matter: the sources here are press reports and a small number of expert opinions, and Bumrah’s fitness status changes quickly, so verify it before quoting. Longevity debates are not unique to him; see Dhoni’s retirement saga.
Quick Reference: is being different worth it?
FAQ: Jasprit Bumrah bowling action questions
Why is Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling action considered unorthodox?
Is Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling action legal?
Has Bumrah’s action caused his injuries?
What are Jasprit Bumrah’s career figures?
Why did Bumrah decline the Test captaincy?
Should young bowlers copy Bumrah’s action?
Key Terms
- Hyperextension
- Bending a joint, such as the elbow, beyond its typical straight position.
- Lumbar vertebrae
- The bones of the lower back that bear much of the load in fast bowling.
- Stress fracture
- A small crack in a bone caused by repeated load rather than a single impact.
- Workload management
- Planning how much a player bowls or plays to reduce injury risk.
- Release point
- The position in space where the bowler lets go of the ball.
Conclusion
The Jasprit Bumrah bowling action is proof that non-conformity can work, and proof that it can come with an invoice. He has the numbers, the injury history and a support system that treats his body as a managed asset. The useful lesson is not “be weird”. It is to check the results, price the downside and build the support before you copy anyone. If that sounds unglamorous, our Hardik Pandya story has more drama.
Sources and Further Reading
- “Jasprit Bumrah faces risk of suffering lumbar injuries, says study”, WION, 2019. WION
- “The curious case of Jasprit Bumrah’s recurring injuries”, NewsBytes, 3 August 2026. NewsBytes
- “Agarkar: Don’t think Bumrah will be available for all five Tests”, ESPNcricinfo, 2025. ESPN
- “Bumrah vulnerable to injuries due to unorthodox action: Hadlee says”, IANS, 2019; Yahoo Sport Australia, 2024, quoting Ian Pont and Paul Felton; Onmanorama, August 2026; AFP, 2025, on his England workload.
About This Guide: Written by the Sarcastic Motivators editorial team from the sources listed above. The tone is deliberately sarcastic, the facts are sourced, and the article is general information, not professional medical, financial, legal or mental-health advice.