Pakistan-born UAE pacer Zahoor Khan has made a surprising revelation about India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, claiming he once helped the star bowler refine his slower deliveries during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Zahoor said the interaction took place during the UAE leg of the 2019 IPL, when he was serving as a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians. According to Zahoor, Bumrah approached him after noticing his unique slower-ball variations that were delivered without any noticeable change in bowling action.

An IPL nets session that sparked the conversation between Zahoor Khan and Jasprit Bumrah

Zahoor recalled that the conversation began after a high-scoring match in Abu Dhabi, where Mumbai Indians bowlers, including Bumrah, Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile, conceded plenty of runs in extremely challenging weather conditions.

“The IPL was happening in September, and in the UAE it’s nearly 50 degrees. It’s so hot that even at night the ball becomes wet and difficult to grip,” Zahoor said while recounting the incident.

The UAE international said he had joined the Mumbai Indians camp after impressing in the T10 League, where he bowled a maiden over that caught the attention of the franchise’s coaching staff, including Zaheer Khan and Robin Singh.

During a training session, Zahoor bowled a sequence of slower deliveries with the same arm speed and action, which caught the eye of Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond.

“I bowled a yorker first and then five slower balls. Shane Bond asked me about my grip and whether I was bowling off-cutters. I told him it was the same grip and the same action,” Zahoor said.

He added that head coach Mahela Jayawardene also took notice of the variation, describing it as something new in cricket because the delivery was difficult for batters to pick due to the unchanged arm speed.

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According to Zahoor, Bumrah later approached him during practice to understand the technique in detail. “He asked me, ‘Paaji, what is your grip? Show me.’ I told him it’s the same grip and the same action. When he tried it, he said, ‘This is next level,’” Zahoor claimed.

Despite the difference in their cricketing stature, Zahoor said he was impressed by Bumrah’s humility and eagerness to learn. “I’m a player for UAE and he’s a world-class bowler. I really liked that he was such a big star but still willing to ask and learn,” he said.

Zahoor’s claim has sparked plenty of discussion online, with fans debating the extent of his influence on one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers.