In showcasing his prowess with the ball in India, Jasprit Bumrah believes there's no need to seek magic when it comes to reverse swing. The 30-year-old displayed his artistry on the second day of the second Test against England, orchestrating three destructive spells to finish with figures of six for 45 in 15.5 overs.
Bumrah's exceptional performance played a pivotal role as the hosts dismissed England for 253, securing a substantial 143-run first-innings lead. While he had already reaped rewards for reverse swing in the series opener, Saturday witnessed him operating at an even higher level.
The manner in which Bumrah outsmarted Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, and Ollie Pope by inducing movement in both directions before dismissing them was a spectacle, highlighted by the widely circulated video clip of his inswinging yorker that dismantled Pope.
The modest Bumrah, accustomed to taking success and failure in stride, acknowledged the importance of mastering reverse swing in Indian conditions. He shared insights into his approach, emphasizing the significance of practicing the necessary skills in the nets.
"In first class cricket, if you want to take wickets in India, you have to learn to bowl reverse swing. Probably, I learned to bowl reverse swing before the conventional swing because you play a lot of cricket on slow wickets," said Bumrah.
"So you understand what you have to do over here. You have to find a way, what are the areas that you have to hit. So, yeah, in the nets, you practice all of those skills and try and execute (to get wickets)," he added.
Reflecting on his execution against Pope, Bumrah explained that with the ball in relatively good condition, he opted for a well-timed yorker as part of the reverse swing strategy. He emphasized the value of not needing magical deliveries with every ball in reverse swing.
On his thought process before bamboozling Pope, Bumrah said: “At that time, the ball was relatively hard. So yes, there was some reverse swing. In reverse swing, you don't have to bowl magical deliveries every ball.
“So I had bowled a few away going deliveries and then there was a thought going on in my head that what do I bowl? I should bowl a length delivery coming in or should I go for a yorker? But I had not bowled a yorker till then. I thought okay might as well take a chance with that and it did swing a lot. The execution was good, very happy with that.”
Bumrah's well-executed away swingers against Root and Bairstow, who anticipated the ball coming back in, were crucial at that stage of the game. While he refrained from rating his performances, Bumrah recognized the importance of those key wickets given the slower nature of the wicket.
England skipper Ben Stokes fell victim to Bumrah's brilliance for the second consecutive game, showcasing the bowler's ability to surprise. Bumrah shared that Stokes may have misread an attempted outswing, leading to his dismissal.
Despite his array of variations, particularly in shorter formats, Bumrah stressed the importance of patience in Test cricket. He emphasized the need to focus on the present, understanding what is effective in the moment, and avoiding the temptation to use every skill at once.
In summarizing his approach, Bumrah highlighted the lessons of patience learned in Test cricket, cautioning against the pursuit of magical deliveries. Instead, he emphasized the importance of shutting out distractions and concentrating on the next ball, allowing performance to unfold naturally.
