ENG vs IND | Team India fell short of runs with the bat, admits skipper Jasprit Bumrah

English batting goliaths Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, who are currently in the form of their lives, smacked tons to help England hunt down a mammoth target of 378 runs and level the series against India at the Edgbaston on Tuesday. 

Joe Root (142* off 173) and Jonny Bairstow (114* off 145) forged an unbeaten 269-run partnership for the fourth wicket to complete the highest-ever run chase by the English team in the history of Test cricket.

Jasprit Bumrah, the standing skipper, speaking in the post-match conference acknowledged that the visitors fell short of runs with the bat in India's second innings and that is where they allowed the hosts to take over the charge of the event again. 

Notably, no Indian batter except Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored 66 off 168 balls and first-inning centurion Rishabh Pant (57 off 86) could cross the 25-run mark in India's second inning as the visitor bundled out for 245 runs, giving England a target of 378 runs to win. 

"We fell short with the bat yesterday, and that is where we let the opposition in to let the match slip away from us. Ifs and buts can always be there. If you go back, if there was no rain in the first match, we could have won the series. But England played really well. We have drawn the series and both teams played very good cricket and it was a fair result," Bumrah said.  

Bumrah, who was adjudged the Player of The Series for India also hailed the wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja for their awe-inspiring efforts in the first innings after India lost five wickets with less than 100 on the board. Both Pant and Jadeja scored centuries to help India score 416 in the first innings. 

"Pant and Jaddu got us back into the game with their counter-attack. We were ahead in the game. He [Pant] takes his chances, backs himself and is very happy for him. Dravid is always there to guide us and back us," Bumrah added.

The star Indian pacer, who led India in the longest format for the first time expressed gratitude and reckoned that it was an honour for him to lead team India at the highest level. Bumrah was named the skipper after regular skipper Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the game after testing positive for Covid-19. 

"We could have been a little straighter in our bowling lines and used the variable bounce. The captaincy future is not what I decide. I like the responsibility. It was a good challenge, a new challenge. It was an honour to lead the team and a great experience," the 28-year concluded. 

Team India will now take on England in three T20Is, starting from July 7 at Southampton followed by three ODIs. Rohit Sharma has recovered from the infection and will lead the team in the upcoming T20Is and ODIs.