Jasprit Bumrah once again proved why he’s the heartbeat of India’s bowling attack, delivering a sublime five-wicket haul to keep the visitors marginally ahead in the first Test against England at Headingley. But while his figures in the scorebook read 5/83, they barely convey the level of frustration the Indian spearhead had to endure, with three dropped catches off his bowling in what was a forgettable outing for the slip cordon.
Despite being let down repeatedly by his fielders, including a spill from an otherwise reliable Ravindra Jadeja and two drops from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Bumrah chose grace over frustration. Speaking to the BBC after the day’s play, the pacer said, “I am disappointed for a second when catches are dropped. It’s a part and parcel of the game, and the guys are new and working so hard. I don’t want to create a scene and put more pressure on them. Nobody is doing it intentionally, so they will learn from this experience.”
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He acknowledged the challenging conditions at Headingley and added, “Sometimes the cold makes it difficult to catch. I try not to let it affect me and move forwards quickly.”
{{/usCountry}}He acknowledged the challenging conditions at Headingley and added, “Sometimes the cold makes it difficult to catch. I try not to let it affect me and move forwards quickly.”
{{/usCountry}}Bumrah was India's lone warrior with the ball on Day 2 when he picked all three wickets that fell on the day. He received significantly better support on Day 3, with Prasidh Krishna taking three wickets while Mohammed Siraj clinched two. However, both bowlers leaked runs owing to inconsistent lines and lengths, meaning England managed to close the gap with India in the first innings.
India lead by 96
India had posted 471 in the first innings, but England, riding on Ollie Pope’s 106 and Harry Brook’s valiant 99, managed to claw back with 465. Brook was dropped thrice and capitalised each time before he holed out trying to reach his century with flair. Bumrah, brought back for a late burst after England’s tail had begun to wag, took matters into his own hands.
He uprooted Woakes’ stumps and then sent back Josh Tongue to wrap things up, picking his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests.
His performance stood in stark contrast to India’s other pacers, who lacked consistency and control for long spells. The lower order conceded 112 runs, a damaging passage, especially when compared to India’s own collapse, where the final five wickets fell for just 18.
At stumps on Day 3, India reached 90/2 in their second innings, leading by 96 runs. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 47, while Shubman Gill was at the crease with him.