Jasprit Bumrah made his IPL captaincy debut as he led Mumbai Indians for the first time in their win over the Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday. Bumrah was filling in for Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, who were both unavailable. The fast bowler likened the situation to the Bollywood move Nayak, where Anil Kapoor becomes Chief Minister for a day.
In a video posted by Mumbai Indians, Bumrah can be heard saying, "Nayak Dekha Hai? Ek Din ka Mukhya Mantri [Have you watched Nayak? CM For A Day]"
The Nayak linked explained
Nayak: The Real Hero is a 2001 film that follows Shivaji Rao, a television cameraman who unexpectedly becomes the Chief Minister of a state for one day after challenging a corrupt politician during an interview. Using his brief time in power, he takes bold decisions against corruption and wins public support. Known for its powerful social message, memorable dialogues, and entertaining storytelling, the movie remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic political dramas.
Similarly, Bumrah is unexpectedly handed the Mumbai Indians captaincy with both Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav unavailable for selection. Bumrah makes instant impact, helping Mumbai Indians clinch a hard fought win at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
Bumrah's wait for MI captaincy ends
The fast bowler has been with the franchise since 2013, well ahead of both Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav. However, he was ignored when the franchise opted to replace Rohit Sharma, with Hardik traded in from Gujarat Titans.
Bumrah then lost out to Suryakumar Yadav in the games Hardik missed. With both unavailable, the fast bowler has finally had his chance, long after his leadership qualities were recognised by the Indian cricket team. He played 156 games before leading the team, only behind Ravindra Jadeja's 200 matches for the longest wait to captain an IPL team.
