LONDON: With England already being forced to shun their go-hung approach and score at a run rate of a little over 3 runs per over on Day One of the third Test at Lord's, task was cut out for India bowlers when play resumed on Friday. A few quick wickets were the need of the hour and who else would have shouldered the responsibility better than their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Stranded on 99, Joe Root couldn't have asked for a better start as he pushed a fullish delivery bowled wide of off stump by Bumrah through gully for four to complete his 37th Test hundred. That was the first ball of the day and the former England captain was ecstatic in celebration. But little did he know that only a few balls later he would lose his overnight batting partner and captain Ben Stokes to the same bowler.
Bumrah pitched it short on the off and ball shaped back in beating Stokes completely who could only helplessly watch it hit the top of his off stump. He could only five runs to his overnight individual total to 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. England wouldn't have managed to score what they eventually did, 387, had Rahul latched on to that catch as Smith played a quickfire knock of 56-ball 51 and added 84 runs with Brydon Carse for the eighth wicket.
The dropped chance or not, Bumrah was unrelenting as he bowled centurion Root through the gate off the very first ball of the next over. He produced another wicket the very next ball as Chris Woakes edged it to the substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, which initially was not given out but a successful appeal from Gill and Co meant Bumrah had two in two.
Second over into the lunch, Siraj finally had Smith but by then the damage was already done. Carse too played a key role in helping England cross the 350-run mark as he slammed 83-ball 56 and was the last man to depart off Siraj.
Earlier, Bumrah completed his 15th five-wicket haul and 13th overseas, breaking Kapil Dev's record of 12, with the wicket of Jofra Archer. In reply, India were 37/1 after eight overs.