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'That's what I do, Ben': Jasprit Bumrah bamboozles Stokes, then uproots Joe Root's middle stump to run through England
India's Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Chris Woakes in the first half an hour of Day 2 of the third Test to run through England.
Jasprit Bumrah did a Jasprit Bumrah on Day 2 of the third India vs England Test at Lord's. After getting just one wicket --- of the World's No.1 batter Harry Brook -- on Day 1, Bumrah unleashed hell on England in the first 30 minutes of the day's play on Friday. Bumrah nearly got Joe Root out off the first ball of the day but the England legend's miscued drive found no fielders. It raced away to the boundary as Root reached his 37th Test century.
England's joy, however, was short-lived. In his next over, Bumrah produced an absolute beauty to knock down the off stump of England captain Ben Stokes. From around the wicket, Bumrah got one to come with the angle and it jagged through Stokes' defence to hit the top of the off stump. The England captain was on his haunches, giving the impression that it might have kept low but in reality it was a perfectly normal delivery (in terms of bounce) that was too good for him to bat to bowl.
Noting Stokes' reaction, former England captain Nasser Hussain said, there was a muted celebration from Bumrah, almost to suggest that it was a routine thing for him.
"That's what I do, Ben, no over celebration from Jasprit Bumrah. Easy as you like," said Hussain on commentary.
"It was a terrific delivery. To get it back in from around the wicket was something," said former India head coach Ravi Shastri.
Bumrah dismissed Stokes in a similar style in a Test match at Visakhapatnam last year, leaving the England captain all at sea with his off stump pegged back. Even then, Stokes gave a long, hard look at the pitch before walking off.
Back at Lord's, Bumrah was just starting. In the first ball of his next over, he got one to dart back in to Joe Root, who went for the drive only to get a faint inside edge onto his stumps. The middle stump went for a walk. It was the 11th time Bumrah dismissed Root in Test cricket, equalling Australia captain Pat Cummins.
The pitch just tends to quicken up a bit on the morning of the second day at Lord's and Bumrah was making full use of it by making the second new ball move both ways.
If his earlier two wickets came from vicious in-dippers, he reserved an away-going delivery to trap Chris Woakes for a golden duck. It was a bit fuller than what both Stokes and Root got and it moved away, instead of coming back in. Woakes had a loose whiff at it, unsure about its movement; while facing Bumrah, batters always get caught in two minds because of the angle he generates with that slingshot-like release.
The ball fizzed past Wokaes' bat. There was a muted appeal from the slip cordon. Bumrah only joined in after seeing Ravindra Jadeja charge in from the covers. India captain Shubman Gill said there was a clear noise. Bumrah said if that is the case, then it has to be from the bat. India went for the review.
Replays confirmed that Woakes had nicked it. He, however, did not seem convinced. He continued to shake his head while walking back to the change room.
These three wickets helped Bumrah pass Kapil Dev to take the No.2 spot among Indian bowlers with the most wickets in England. Bumrah is now only behind Ishan Sharma.
Starting the day at 251 for 4, England were now 271 for 7.
