Despite harsh life, grandad bats for Bumrah
DEHRADUN: It’s a story of fate taking turns, twisted circumstances, love and the bond between grandfather and grandson.
Jasprit Bumrah is a star bowler for India. His grandfather Santokh Singh Bumrah, who lives in Kiccha in Uttarakhand, 260 km from here, is one among the lakhs of Jasprit fans.
Known as ‘Yorker King’, Bumrah was separated from his grandfather after the death of his father in 2001. Blood is thicker than water, and again after a gap of 17 years, grandpa wants to hug his grandson.
“It feels great to see Jasprit on television screen performing so well in international matches. I pray to God for his success and want to meet him once before I die,” Santokh Singh, 84, told HT over the phone.
“After Jasbir’s death in 2001, fate turned and I started running into losses. I sold off factories and shifted to Kiccha with my brothers” Santokh adds. There, Bumrah’s grandfather purchased an auto to make ends meet. Now senior Bumrah lives in penury with his other son.
HEART-RENDING
He sobs often on sharing stories of the good days. Santokh doesn’t shed much light why he didn’t try to meet Jasprit all these years.
It is learnt that Jasprit was raised by his mother in Ahmedabad.
SHIFT TO GUJARAT
Bumrah started his cricketing career from Gujarat. Jasprit initially played some good seasons for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and then got into the Indian team during the Australia series in 2015-2016.
Since then, there has been no looking back for the Indian yorker specialist has become an integral part of the side.
The young cricketer’s uncle Jaswinder Singh says the family intends to reunite and for this. “Either Jasprit meets us or else we are looking forward to meeting him,” he said.