Bumrah lords over England with five, keeps India in hunt
Mumbai, July 12 -- His body may require more rest and recovery between matches than your average fast bowler, but every time he returns to the park, Jasprit Bumrah shows how much better he is than the rest. On Friday, India's right arm genius got the results he was after following his toil from the opening day's play, where he had bowled disciplined spells for limited reward.
Bumrah's early morning burst was the biggest reason India could restrict England to 387. In the process, he went on to register his name on the Lord's honours board and also went past Kapil Dev to claim the most away 5-fers by an Indian.
On Day 1, Bumrah had bowled 18 overs, conceded less than 2 runs per over, but only had one wicket to show for his efforts. It's a pitch that has demanded patience from the batters, and the bowlers too.
In a frenetic beginning to the second day's play, Joe Root completed his hundred off the first ball, Ben Stokes almost got himself hopelessly run out before Bumrah produced a moment of magic.
On his eighth ball of the day, after being cut by Stokes in the previous ball, Bumrah used his around the wicket angle to jag one back to the left-hander. Stokes (44) didn't have to look back as the dreadful sound of stump rattle had already signalled that it was time to leave.
It's a delivery, when bowled from a different angle would have left the right hander, one which he did not always possess, but mastered after becoming an international. The self-taught bowler that he is and a fast learner, Bumrah was always going to be a threat, if the pitch speeded up. It appeared to. And Bumrah was attacking the stumps.
It wasn't the first battle Bumrah won against Stokes. But the man who had troubled India the most was Root.
England's premier batter had done well on Thursday to manipulate strike and let Ollie Pope deal with Bumrah more. With the second new ball in hand and better carry on offer, Bumrah wouldn't let Root off, this time.
A trademark incoming delivery, the exact opposite of the Stokes dismissal, did Root (104) in as the stumps were shattered again. It was the 11th time in his Test career Root would fall to Bumrah. James Anderson got Sachin Tendulkar out quite frequently, even though he reflects very highly of their battles now. Bumrah may think the same way of his exchanges with Root, one day. Currently, there has been only one winner.
Another quick wicket of Chris Woakes from Bumrah meant England had lost 3 wickets, adding only 20 more runs to the overnight score of 251. But soon a changed ball - the replaced ball not to India's liking - would suddenly leave them dispirited. Once they took their eyes off the ball, India's hopes of skittling the hosts out for less than 300 also vanished.
Jamie Smith's fluent 56 took England to 387. Whether it was a good score would depend on how well they bowled.
When Jofra Archer, from his long run and measured steps, thundered towards the bowling crease, a heavy golden chain dangling around his neck, the crowd at Lord's, well in tune with the importance of the moment, cheered him on.
Archer showed why his return mattered so much to the series played on really good batting pitches.
For the first time, any bowler was able to crank up speeds over 150 kph. While doing so, he quickly saw the back of Yashasvi Jaiswal (13). In his very first over, off the third bowl he bowled to Test return after a hiatus of four and half years, the Barbados born pacer got one to leave the left-hander late and had him caught at second slip. Jofra was back and England had the opening breakthrough.
Like Archer, Karun Nair had his own point to prove. On comeback trail, Nair had been searching for his first fifty outside his triple hundred. He showed signs to have weathered the storm after some nervy moments but ultimately threw it away on 40 when he was squared up by Stokes and lapped up at slips by Root, now the holder of most catches in history.
KL Rahul's patient unbeaten 53 saw India through to stumps but importantly, England were able to ensure there would be no Shubman bow this time. The Indian captain was out cheaply on 16 to Woakes. At 145/3 with both taking wickets and scoring runs proving hard work, it is anybody's game. But, then again, it's been that kind of series....
To read the full article or to get the complete feed from this publication, please
Contact Us.