Bharat Arun, India's former bowling coach, recalled the Test debut of India pacer Jasprit Bumrah on Team India's tour to South Africa in 2018. Just two years into international cricket, the then India Test captain Virat Kohli was convinced Bumrah is ready for Test cricket.

Arun said Kohli was impressed with Bumrah's bowling, who he found the toughest to face among all bowlers in the nets. The speedster went on to make his Test debut against South Africa in Newlands.

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"We had 10-12 days for practice before the start of that South Africa series in 2018. During that period, Virat was extremely impressed with Bumrah in the nets - he said, 'He [Bumrah] is the most difficult to face amongst all the bowlers we have.' So, he instantly decided that Bumrah would be playing in the first Test, and his career took off from there," Arun told Sportstar.

Bumrah had already told Arun about his dream to play Test cricket for India, before making his debut. He revealed how the former India coach Ravi Shastri wanted the young pacer to know he might be on the South Africa tour in 2018.

"Ravi and I had a discussion... He wanted me to give Bumrah a call when we were in Kolkata and tell him that he may be on the tour to South Africa to play Test cricket. Bumrah, previously, when he was part of the ODI teams, constantly told me that his dream was to be a successful Test cricketer," he said.

"When I told Ravi about this, he said Bumrah adds a huge dimension to the bowling. He was keen on unleashing him in South Africa. He had a word with Virat, who then spoke to selectors, and that's how Bumrah, the Test phenomenon, came into being," Arun further said.

Bumrah’s international debut was on the tour of Australia in early 2016, after Mohammad Shami had injured himself. He soon became India's bowling spearhead in all three formats. 

(With Sportstar Inputs)