IND vs BAN: Anuj Rawat recalls nerve-wracking IPL encounter with Jasprit Bumrah in front of Virat Kohli

The 24-year-old Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat has opened up on his nerve-wracking first encounter with Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Virat Kohli at the non-striker's end.

In the 18th match of the Indian Premier League 2022, Royal Challengers Bengaluru locked horns with Mumbai Indians on April 9 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

While bathing first, Mumbai Indians did a decent job, and riding on Suryakumar Yadav's brilliant 68 as well as Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma's 26s, they posted 151/6 runs on the board.

When Royal Challengers Bengaluru came to chase, Faf du Plessis wasn't able to play well and he couldn't get going. However, his opening partner, Anuj Rawat, batted exceptionally well against Mumbai Indians, and after 8 overs, they were at the score of 50 with Rawat doing the bulk of the scoring.

Rawat kept batting brilliantly in the innings and smashed 66 runs off 47 balls, with 2 fours and 6 sixes. He was involved in an 80-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who hit 36-ball 48 and took RCB closer to win. In the end, RCB won the match by 7 wickets.

However, everything was not very smooth for Anuj Rawat during his innings as he faced the premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah while being 200 percent nervous.

Speaking about that clash with Jasprit Bumrah, Anuj Rawat revealed that the RCB coach, Sanjay Bangar, helped him prepare to deal with the threat of the star fast bowler.

"Before that game against Mumbai Indians, our coach Sanjay [Bangar] sir had already sounded me off. He said 'Agar Bumrah aaya, kya lagta hai, kya ball daalega? Kya karega? (What do you think Bumrah will bowl to you? What will he do?)' I said, 'He'll bowl full, the length to flick the ball'.

"He said 'Yes', and literally that was the ball he bowled to me. He targeted my legs, but I worked it away for a couple of runs," Anuj Rawat told India's Under-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra on his podcast.

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I was nervous for sure, probably 200 percent nervous I would say - Anuj Rawat on Jasprit Bumrah

The wicketkeeper-batsman said that the half-century against Mumbai Indians in front of Virat Kohli gave him a huge confidence boost.

"As for the knock, the fifty gave me a lot of confidence and what made it special was when I got there, Virat Kohli was at the non-striker end. I had already played 3-4 games before that, but the comfort level got better and you get to know that we now belong here."

Meanwhile, Anuj Rawat said that even after preparing to deal with Bumrah, he came under tremendous seeing the pacer running in to bowl. Notably, Rawat scored 7 runs, excluding 2 leg byes, off 10 deliveries Bumrah bowled to him.

"I had never faced him before. That was the first time. I was nervous for sure, probably 200 per cent nervous, I would say. Like I said, Sanjay sir had already gotten me prepared, so I was settled but still, when you see Bumrah coming in, it does hit you a little," Anuj Rawat added.