Australia Test pacer James Pattinson says he has picked Jasprit Bumrah's brain during his unexpected stint at the Mumbai Indians in the recent-concluded Indian Premier League and wanted to know the secret of Indian speedster's lethal yorkers.
Pattinson went unsold in the IPL auction but was included in the MI squad as a last-minute replacement for Sri Lankan veteran Lasith Malinga. He played 10 games for the IPL champions picking 11 wickets.
"I lucked out a bit going to Mumbai, the most successful franchise in IPL history. It all happened so quickly. It was such a great experience and surprise," Pattinson was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press.
"Boom (Bumrah) is one of the best, if not the best, T20 bowler in the world. I picked his brain. I was asking about his yorkers and how he gets them so good; he likes to bowl from a higher position and a few other things.
"You watch him bowl and just think 'how does he do that!?'," Pattinson said.
The 30-year-old is a member of the Australia Test squad and he will warm up for the four-match series against India by playing for Australia A in a tour game that begins here on Sunday.
He said playing in the IPL "ignited a spark to play more white-ball cricket ... to try and get back into Australia's white-ball teams."
Pattinson, who has not been picked in Australia's T20 or ODI side since 2015, said meeting Bumrah was a good lesson in not tinkering with bowling actions for the sake of the textbook.
"It's fantastic. He's got an unusual action, been allowed to keep doing that and it's what makes him successful."
Pattinson said Bumrah "was happy to share a lot of information around his bowling mindset".
"He's a fantastic guy. He bowls a lot more than I thought he would at training. He just bowls and bowls and bowls ... you see how switched on he is."
