Mumbai: Jasprit Bumrah and Sanjana Ganesan’s love story was one of the cutest in Indian sport in recent times.
Team India’s bowling spearhead and the world’s No. 1 bowler got married to the sports presenter in 2021 after dating for over two years, and have a one-year and nine-month old son named Angad.
The power couple revealed the hilarious story of their first meeting on ‘Who’s The Boss?’, hosted by former India offie Harbhajan Singh and his actress wife Geeta Basra.
They came across each other during the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, when Sanjana thought Bumrah was “either married or being watched” by a girlfriend.
“This was in 2019 during the World Cup. I was around the India team during practices. The other boys like DK (Dinesh Karthik) used to wave and say ‘hi’. Jasprit was in the group but made this face like ‘I’m not going to say hi or even make eye contact’,” Sanjana recalled.
She thought Bumrah was deliberately avoiding her.
“Mujhe laga maybe girlfriend hogi, wife hogi (I thought maybe he had a girlfriend or wife watching him). I was like either I’ve done something wrong, or that’s his personality,” Sanjana admitted.
The ice melted once the two started interacting more, Sanjana having to interview Bumrah in her professional capacity.
“Once we spoke, we understood each other… Turns out, he’s not like that at all,” Sanjana conceded.
Bumrah laughed off the incident. “This story is one-sided! She thought I was married? My nature is shy. I don’t randomly go around saying ‘hi’ to people. It takes time to open up.”
As for their engagement, it came in the middle of IPL 2020 in the UAE, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was shifted to the UAE, and held under strict measures to protect players, officials and all others involved with the T20 league.
Bumrah revealed how he got a bubble-to-bubble transfer that he managed by speaking to IPL officials, decorated his room, and even lit up candles on the balcony.
Sanjana was confused by Bumrah’s eagerness to take her to the balcony when she entered his room, and then the surprise was unveiled.
“That was during COVID times. So, there were bubbles for each and every team. As luck would have it, she was in KKR, and I was with the Mumbai Indians. Both teams were in Abu Dhabi. I carried a ring in the hope that perhaps after the tournament ends, I’ll get a chance. Apart from the ground interactions, we couldn’t meet because of the bubble,” Bumrah said.
“So, she was out. Then, I had to tell people that look, I’ve brought this ring. Please arrange a bubble-to-bubble transfer. So, that transfer happened. When she arrived, I did everything myself. I placed the cake myself, decorated everything in my room and I had the ring ready,” the leading pacer added.
Sanjana narrated her side of the story.
“I’ve come to the room and he’s telling me, ‘balcony mein chalo’ (come to the balcony). I am like, I’ve just walked in, at least give me water. But he’s like, nahi nahi balcony mein chalo (no, no come to the balcony).”
Bumrah added, “I had lit candles and it overlooked the beach, so the wind kept blowing them out… I struggled so much.”
Bumrah and Sanjana are currently in England, where India are in te midst of a five-Test series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Despite Bumrah’s five-wicket haul in the first innings, India lost the opening Test by five wickets.
There’s speculation over whether Bumrah will play the second Test, in Birmingham’s Edgbaston, from July 2. To manage his workload, Bumrah may not play all five Test matches.
