Leeds: On a day when little went right for India’s bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah stood out as a rare shining light in the third Test against England at Headingley. With the home side reaching 209/3 at stumps on Day 2, Bumrah’s exceptional spell was the only source of regular breakthroughs for the visitors.
Bumrah finished the day with figures of 3/48, claiming all three wickets to fall. He struck early to remove Zak Crawley for 4, disrupted the dangerous Ben Duckett’s innings on 62 with a peach of a delivery, and later grabbed the prized scalp of Joe Root for 28—his dismissal proving to be a crucial blow in the context of the game.
Former India cricketer and JioHotstar expert Sanjay Manjrekar was effusive in his praise for Bumrah on ‘Match Centre Live’, comparing the pacer’s impact to that of New Zealand legend Sir Richard Hadlee.
“We’ve seen four hundreds in this match already—three by India and one by England—but the only bowler who looked truly special today was Bumrah,” said Manjrekar.
Drawing parallels with Hadlee’s match-winning abilities even in unfavourable conditions, Manjrekar added:
“The ability to manufacture a wicket almost every time he comes on to bowl is remarkable. It reminds me of Sir Richard Hadlee, who often carried a relatively weak New Zealand bowling attack. You just knew something was going to happen when he had the ball. With Bumrah, it’s the same feeling—true mastery.”
Earlier in the day, India posted a strong total of 471, riding on splendid centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 off 159), Shubman Gill (147 off 227), and Rishabh Pant (134 off 178). At one point cruising at 430/4, India suffered a collapse thanks to a spirited fightback from Ben Stokes (4/66) and Josh Tongue (4/86), limiting further damage.
As Day 2 closed, England remained well-placed but aware of the looming threat of Bumrah, whose relentless skill and control kept India’s hopes alive in an otherwise tough day in the field.