Jasprit Bumrah and the rest. Perhaps the apt description for the Indian bowling attack. Bumrah, at the peak of his powers, is head and shoulders above the rest and time and again does the job for his team. It was no different in Headingley where he finished with his 12th fifer in overseas conditions, the same number that Kapil Dev had taken in his long and illustrious career. Only Bumrah has picked wickets at an average of 19, something that is very rarely done in world cricket.
You have to feel for Bumrah. Multiple catches were dropped off his bowling and when you add a few misfields, you know he was unlucky. Time and again he gives it his all only to see the other bowlers gifting runs to England. To see balls being sprayed and nothing being done by the other bowlers to stem the rot. It was poor from India on the field. Rank poor. Six catches were dropped in an innings and most of them regulation chances. This isn’t the norm and it impacted India. With a high intensity first session where they snapped 2 wickets for 120, you expected Shubman to go to Bumrah a little earlier against the English tail. Once it was Bumrah versus Woakes or Tongue, it was only a matter of time.
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The problem was there was no plan B for Brook. Once the ball got older, Brook and Woakes just nailed the second session to get close to India. This is where you are forced to ask if it is just about the brilliance of Bumrah and leaving it to him to bail the team out time and again? Yes, Siraj was unlucky but what about the others?
Shardul Thakur just got six overs as the fourth seamer. Ravindra Jadeja leaking runs both sides of the wicket was a surprise and that’s where India lost control. Each time Bumrah finished a spell, the English knew that freebies would soon be on offer and made merry. Even Prasidh must be thinking it was a major opportunity lost. He bowls one fantastic ball every over and then follows it up with two loose balls conceding runs. That’s where the pressure is released and the game lost. Siraj too was below par in what was a forgettable day for India with the ball.
The weather prediction is for some rain on days four and five. Clearly there will be disruptions. Brook and Smith have shown how you can score runs in plenty against the older ball and that’s what the Indians should take heart from. They have batted out the new ball and this game is on the balance. The batting for a change has to step up and take control. Each one of remaining batters must make a difference for you don’t want to trail 0-1 going into Edgbaston.
In all honesty India is still marginally ahead. Weather and good batting and the match can be won. But to do so you need fight. Real effort with a deep determination to not let it get away. The bowlers barring Bumrah failed to show the resolve. Can the batters buck the trend and salvage things yet again? That and Bumrah will be the cynosure of all attention on days four and five.
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