Jasprit Bumrah insists he doesn’t think about numbers after 6/45 at Vizag, says ‘reverse swing plays big role’ in India

Jasprit Bumrah added another feather to his cap and put India in the driving seat at the same time with a sensational haul of 6/45 on the second day of the second Test between India and England in Visakhapatnam. Not only did Bumrah register his best Test haul at home, he also became the quickest Indian pacer to 150 Test wickets, achieving the feat in his 34th Test appearance — the same as the legendary Australian pace trio of Jeff Thompson, Glenn McGrath and Mitchell Johnson.

As It Happened | India vs England, 2nd Test in Visakhapatnam, Day 2

Speaking to official broadcasters Sports18 after stumps, however, Bumrah insisted he didn’t really focus on numbers, and that he is simply happy to play Test cricket — in which he began his journey in Cape Town in 2018.

“Don’t look at numbers, just very happy to play Test cricket,” Bumrah told commentator and former India head coach Ravi Shastri in a brief chat after stumps.

In a series expected to be dominated by the Ravichandran Ashwin-led spin department, it is Bumrah who has emerged the standout Indian bowler so far in Hyderabad and Vizag.

The pacer had used reverse swing to great effect in the series opener at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where he collected six wickets across the match including 4/41 in the second innings, though his effort would ultimately go in vain as the Ben Stokes-led English team bounced back from a 190-run first innings deficit in style to collect a thrilling 28-run victory.

Bumrah was at it again on the second day of the second Test on Saturday, once again making the English batters dance to his tunes once the ball started reversing. The 30-year-old got rid of Joe Root and Ollie Pope in a superb post-lunch spell, castling the latter with a searing yorker that would leave the stumps in a mess.

Read | ‘Test cricket the utmost format for me’: Jasprit Bumrah

He would then collect the wickets of opposition skipper Ben Stokes (47), Jonny Bairstow (25) and Tom Hartley (21) after tea, denying Stokes a second half-century in as many games, before completing his six-for by trapping James Anderson leg-before.

During the post-match chat with Shastri, Bumrah opened up on the importance of reverse swing in Indian conditions and how patience played a key role in setting batters up.

“In India reverse swing plays a big role. Born in this country, you know how to use it to your advantage. In India, you have to learn how to bowl reverse. I’ve grown up watching reverse swing set ups, legendary bowlers bowling magical deliveries.

“To be able to do it now, very happy with that. When you bowl reverse, people try to bowl magical deliveries every other ball. You have to be patient with that. Have to set the batters up. Have to use deliveries wisely. Can’t just bowl inswing outswing, inswing outswing.

“After that Pope delivery, I had in mind they’ll be looking out for the inswinger. Was keeping an eye on what the batters were looking to do,” Bumrah added.