Zaheer Khan is massively impressed with Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling in the second innings of the Lord’s Test which India won by defeating England by 151 runs on Monday.
Jasprit Bumrah, who went wicketless in the first innings, produced 3/33 in the second innings as he combined with the rest of the Indian pacers to bowl England out for 120, who needed to chase down 272 for victory.
Zaheer Khan: Jasprit Bumrah Was Motivated After Facing And Bowling A Few Bouncers And He Should At Times Needle The Opposition
Zaheer Khan feels the over which Jasprit Bumrah bowled to James Anderson on day 3 was the catalyst behind the India pacer’s brilliant show in the second innings. After Jasprit Bumrah had sent down a thunderous over to James Anderson which was filled with bouncers, hitting the veteran England bowler on the helmet and the body, the pacers of the home team tried to go similarly after Jasprit Bumrah while he was batting.
The tactic however failed miserably as a determined tailender Jasprit Bumrah put a price on his wicket and with Mohammed Shami, added 89 unbeaten runs for the ninth wicket as India declared on 298/8.
“If by getting angry, he can carry himself and perform like this, I believe he should at times needle the opposition. See, in the first innings, he had gone wicketless and being the class bowler that he is, I’m sure it must have bothered him,” Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz.
“After that, the whole Anderson episode that unfolded, the bouncers he bowled to him and then while batting, the manner in which the England pacer went after him… all those things motivated him, and he channelized that anger in the right way. England must be thinking ‘we should have let Bumrah bowl bouncers’ and not mess with him. The intensity with which he bowled, was worth praising.”
The thing that transpired between Jasprit Bumrah and England is what Zaheer Khan believes acted as motivation and the former India speedster reckons that if this brings the best out of Jasprit Bumrah, it may not be a bad idea for him to indulge in a bit more needling with the opposition.
Zaheer Khan On Ollie Robinson Scalp: It’s Never Easy To Bowl A Slower Ball From Round The Wicket And Get A Batsman Out LBW
Of the three wickets, Jasprit Bumrah picked on Day 5, one that took the cake was the dismissal of Ollie Robinson. England had to play out 10 overs with three wickets left and Ollie Robinson and Jos Buttler were trying to ensure England walked away with a draw. However, a piece of brilliance from Jasprit Bumrah denied those plans.
He came from around the wicket, pulled a trick out of his T20 repertoire – the slower ball – and got Ollie Robinson out leg before wicket. Zaheer Khan added that the particular wickets showed the mental space the pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was in.
“Bowling a slower ball is challenging, but to bowl it from round the wicket, from that angle to get a batsman out LBW, you need bowl from close to the wicket, which is never easy. Bumrah did a very tough job.
“The thought process was excellent. When you’re coming round the wicket, even the batsman is thinking ‘they might use the bouncer more’. To bring out that kind of variation and to have that thinking to get that wicket, Bumrah was fabulous,” he mentioned.
If Jasprit Bumrah stole the show with bat and ball (3/33 and 34*), Mohammed Siraj (4/32) wasn’t ready to miss the opportunity to shine at the Home of Cricket as India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Ishant Sharma, who did not play in the first Test due to a niggle, returned to the XI for the Lord’s and picked up three wickets in the first innings and two in the second.
While Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were the leaders, Ishant Sharma (2/13) and Mohammed Shami (56* and 1/13) cannot be ignored for putting in the right support.