India, Nov. 8 -- It took Jasprit Bumrah 17 balls before he smirked at New Zealand A opener Curtis Heaphy. The all-knowing expression after beating the batter to convey that he has a battle on his hands. Up until then, Bumrah had been searching for bowling rhythm on his return to red-ball cricket after almost a year at the leafy Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on Sunday.

The last time India's jersey No.93 ran in wearing whites was November 2025, at home against South Africa. It's been that long. Bumrah missed three Tests that India have played in that span. Rested against Afghanistan, he failed to regain fitness for the Sri Lanka tour.

How Bumrah would wish he could stay in the park for longer uninterrupted windows. Bumrah's unorthodox bo...