Follow UsJasprit Bumrah once again made his presence felt in the first Test against England at Headingley, claiming his 14th five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket for India. The ace paceman finished with figures of 5/83 in 24.4 overs, while the other Indian bowlers conceded 356 for the remaining five wickets.
Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur bowled 26 overs between them and leaked well above six runs per over. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj picked up two wickets in 27 overs but also conceded runs at an economy of 4.5.
“Obviously, we are heading towards a transition. A lot of the bowlers are playing here for the first time. “We, in India, are used to playing on flat grounds. This is slopey, up and down. So, sometimes, new bowlers bowling here can take time to adjust and fight in the right length. So, yeah, this is the experience that I try to share,” said Bumrah on the Test Match Special, reported Indian Express.
Talking about the surface, Bumrah added: “It’s not a spicy wicket by any sort of imaginations. Maybe, going further, a lot of cricket will be played. So, it might go up and down and become a little too paced. That is what we are observing. But nothing too fancy or there are no demons in the wicket. It’s swinging from outside leg or it is massive banana swing. Nothing that I observed.”
It was only because of Bumrah that India managed to take a six-run lead, and that too after slamming 471 in the first innings. England managed to get to 465 in their first essay, but India could have easily bowled them out for around 300-350 if they hadn’t dropped multiple catches.
“See, I like to play cricket. I like to enjoy my time whenever I’m there at the outfield. So, that is why I smile. Drop catches, I understand nobody’s purposely doing it. And, obviously, everyone is trying their best. Cold weather, the ball sometimes is difficult to sight over here as well.
“I do understand. But, yeah, some things are part and parcel of the game. I don’t want to let it affect me and then affect my future spell. I try and forget it as soon as possible and quickly move forward.”