India vs England: Dream delivery? Jasprit Bumrah simply points to playing it smart

Jasprit Bumrah may have a quirky action, but he is also an intelligent bowler with boundless energy. That was why India skipper Virat Kohli was desperate that he recover from a left thumb fracture suffered early on the tour and return. (4TH TEST DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS)

The 24-year-old once again showed why he is valued so much, rattling England for the second innings in a row to help bowl out the hosts for 246 on the first day of the fourth Test at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday. (DAY 1 REPORT)

He took two of the first three wickets, finishing with 3/46 after bowling a marathon 20 overs. Recalled for the third Test at Trent Bridge, Bumrah’s five-for after striking with the second new ball on the fourth evening dashed England’s hopes and set up a remarkable win for the visitors.

Left to bowl first by England skipper Joe Root, he made the hosts rue the decision with pace, movement and judicious use of variations. England were reeling at 86/6 before all-rounder Sam Curran hit 78 at No 8.

It was Bumrah’s unplayable in-coming delivery to the left-hander which he rarely bowls, to trap opener Keaton Jennings for nought, opened the floodgates. But he played it down.

“Whenever you get a wicket, it’s very good. Whenever a plan works, it is a good feeling. Dream delivery I don’t know about that, but it’s a good sign when you get an early wicket. I’m very happy,” he told a media interaction.

England recovered late into the afternoon session. “You can’t expect us to take five-six wickets every session,” he said. “They also played well, got a good partnership between Curran and Moeen Ali (81 for the 7th wicket),” he said.

“We were trying, but as the day progressed, the wicket also gradually got slower. After that we decided we will work for each wicket and everything fell into place.”

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Bumrah’s stock delivery comes into the right-hander, and leaves the left-hander, but it swung in to hit Jennings in front. He pointed out it wasn’t a new delivery, but it was all about using variations smartly.

“That’s not a new ball. I have the in-swinger as well (to the left-hander), I have the out-swinger for the right-hander. I bowled that to Chris Gayle in the World T20 semi-final. When you have too many options, you don’t want to use all of them in a single day. Whenever you feel that option is suitable, you use it.”

India too planned to bat first, but the amount of movement on the pitch meant they were lucky to lose the toss.

“When we started in the morning, there was a lot of seam and swing. We also wanted to bat first, but that was more than what we expected,” he said. “It is always better (in such conditions) for the bowlers to stick to line and length and that helps get wickets. As a bunch when you are getting wickets, it’s always good for us, we can create pressure from both ends.

“I always try to add new things... It’s always better when you have options, then you are in a good space when bowling in the match. I want to keep on improving, add new deliveries so that it helps me in match situations.”

Bumrah said the ball did less as it got old and Curran played the waiting game before opening up, but India bowlers then created pressure to get the lower order out.

“If you’d told us in the morning we’d get them out for 250, we’d have taken that. We had them at 80/5, but they played well as well.

“You can’t be too greedy and expect too much – ‘Oh, they’re 80/5, so you should get them out for 100’.”