LONDON: When the play began on Day 2 of the third Test at the Lord's on Friday, all eyes were on Joe Root, England's leading run-scorer in Test cricket. Stranded on 99 at stumps, the 34-year-old Yorkshire batter couldn't have asked for a better start. A fullish delivery wide of the off stump by Bumrah. First ball of the day was pushed through gully for four. Root completed his 37th century.
As expected, he was ecstatic and celebrated the moment with his teammate and captain Ben Stokes with spectators giving him a huge round of applause. Little did he know the stage would soon be taken over by Jasprit Bumrah, the world No. 1 Test bowler and a legend in the making.
The India pace spearhead, in his next over, pitched it short on the off. The ball shaped back, beat Stokes completely. He could only helplessly watch the ball hit the top of his off stump. He could add only five runs to his overnight individual total and get out on 44. The visitors could have had dangerous Jamie Smith the very next over, bowled by Mohammed Siraj, but KL Rahul dropped a chance at second slip when the wicketkeeper-batter was on five. That cost India dear as Smith played a quickfire knock of 56-ball 51 and added 84 runs with Brydon Carse for the eighth wicket to take the team beyond 300.
Looking unfazed, Bumrah seemed to be the man on a mission as he continued in the same vein. It yielded results immediately as he bowled centurion Root through the gate. It was full and just outside off stump. Root looked to drive it but got late and ended up getting an inside edge, which uprooted his middle stump. It was the 11th time Bumrah has got Root in the longest format, the joint-most with Australia skipper Pat Cummins.
With Bumrah operating at his full efficiency, facing him was the last thing Chris Woakes wanted but he had no choice. The result - Woakes in his attempt to slash the outside off stump delivery got a spike which was pouched by substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. The on field umpires, however, thought otherwise but India opted for a review, which eventually made it two in a row for Bumrah.
Smith and Carse then denied India any success till lunch but the resistance was broken by Siraj. Second over into the break, the Hyderabad pacer finally had Smith but by then the damage was already done. Bumrah then completed his first five-fer at the iconic venue to have his name on the honour's board when he castled Jofra Archer playing his first Test in more than four years. It was his 15th five-wicket haul overall and 13th overseas, which took him past Kapil Dev to become the most successful Indian bowler as far as the five-fers are concerned. In the meantime Carse completed his half-century as the hosts eventually reached 387.
In reply, India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal got going in the first over as he dispatched Woakes for three fours but Archer got rid of him off the very third ball of his first over to mark his comeback. It was a perfect delivery bowled at 143 kph which squared Jaiswal up as he nicked a simple catch Harry Brook stationed at second slip.
Karun Nair then saw off the new ball with opener Rahul but a brilliant one-handed catch at the first slip by Root meant the former once again lost his wicket despite a promising start. It was the 211th catch for Root, the most by a fielder, surpassing Rahul Dravid's 210.
That dismissal brought Shubman Gill to crease but the India skipper, who had scored 585 runs in the first two Tests that included a double hundred and two centuries, was sent back packing giving India their biggest jolt of the day.
Rishabh Pant, who walked off the field on Thursday after getting hit on his left index finger, replaced Gill allaying all fears of him missing the match even as Rahul held fort at one end to complete his half-century.
The day saw fortune oscillating between the two sides but it made one thing sure - the contest is heading for an exciting finish. Only time will tell who will walk away with the honours and lead in the gripping five-match series.