5 players who played for India without central contract in 2015/16

#4 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah has taken international cricket by storm

Playing along with Lasith Malinga for Mumbai Indians certainly seems to have helped Jasprit Bumrah. The fast bowler hadn’t played an international game when 2016 began but by the end of the year, he had established himself as a regular in both the Indian ODI and T20I side.

He might not have gotten off the mark as a batsman in international cricket after 35 matches, but with the ball in his hand, the 23-year-old has proved to be the bowler India have always been looking for, someone who is consistent at the death overs in limited-overs.

Despite not playing a single Test, only two Indian bowlers picked up more wickets in 2016 than Bumrah, who got 45 to his name in his maiden year as an international player. But the biggest positive from Bumrah hasn’t just been his ability to pick up wickets, it is his ability to nail yorkers and bowl economically despite being used predominantly as a death bowler.