In India, you have to learn how to bowl reverse - Jasprit Bumrah reflects on his terrific figures of 6/45 vs England

Jasprit Bumrah delivered a fiery brand of pace bowling in Visakhapatnam as the pacer registered figures of 6/45 to play a major role in restricting England to just 253 in their first innings. 

Bumrah’s list of victims included big names in Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes, apart from also dismissing Tom Hartley and James Anderson. However, among all his six wickets, Bumrah’s best was arguably the reverse-swinging yorker he delivered to fox Pope, with the Englishman’s stumps flattened and all over the place.

Speaking on the magical delivery to dismiss Pope, Bumrah said, “You have to stay patient, set 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. Very happy.”

Bumrah also delved into his expertise on reverse-swing, saying “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.”

The star pacer’s effort, complemented by Kuldeep Yadav’s 3/71 helped India to a massive lead of 143, and at Stumps on Day 2, the hosts finished at 28/0, with a lead cushion of 171 to start off with on Day 3.