'The Yorker Was The First...,' Jasprit Bumrah After Match-Winning Performance vs ENG
Jasprit Bumrah celebrating an English wicket (BCCI)
Jasprit Bumrah bagged nine wickets against England in the Vizag Test to be adjudged as ‘Player of the Match’ after India’s huge 106-run win. The speedster accounted for six of those wickets during the first English innings, where he triggered the visitor’s middle-order collapse before mopping up the tail.
Later in the match, Bumrah snagged Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley to keep England down by 106 runs in the second innings. Upon winning the ‘Player of the Match’ award, the 30-year-old Indian paceman talked about his love for fast bowling and acknowledged the delivery that shattered Ollie Pope’s stumps on Day 2.
Jasprit Bumrah sums up Vizag Test performance
Jasprit Bumrah expressed his excitement upon India’s emphatic series-levelling victory, and claimed that he does not focuses too much on numbers and statistics. While speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, he said:
“I don't look at numbers. When I was young, I looked at numbers and got excited. But I don't look at it now. It gives extra baggage. The important thing was to win and I'm happy with it.”
Bumrah also discussed the reverse-swinging peach he sent down to shatter Ollie Pope’s middle and leg stumps on Day 2 of the Test match. The seasoned Indian fast bowler described it as one of the first deliveries he learned while playing with the tennis ball by watching Zaheer Khan and former Pakistani bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. He added:
“The yorker was the first delivery I learnt. While playing with the tennis ball, I learnt it. I saw on the television Waqar, Wasim and Zaheer execute it and I learnt it.”
Jasprit Bumrah further stated that while he is not a leader of the Indian attack, but as a responsible senior member he frequently imparts fast bowling knowledge to his younger teammates. The cricketer also signified the repeated conversations he has with captain Rohit Sharma about certain aspects of the game.
“Not a leader (of the attack). But I feel I have played a good amount of cricket as we are in a transition period. So, I feel it's my responsibility to give the youngsters knowledge. Rohit has seen me growing up. We have conversations about what we should be doing and what not to do.”
Bumrah denied any rivalry with England’s ageing warhorse James Anderson and described himself as a fast-bowling fan before he even taking up the game.
“Not really, because before coming to cricket, I'm a fast-bowling fan. I love watching fast bowling. I feel happy when someone does well. I try to solve the problems that are there. I feel I must have all the options in my armory and should not be a one-trick pony. I should execute it on the conditions that I play in.”
Jasprit Bumrah will now turn up for Team India in the third Test of the series against England at Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The match will be staged between February 15 and February 19.
 "Aakash Saini")
