Pragyan Ojha lauds Jasprit Bumrah for foxing Ben Duckett, Joe Root with his artistry with old ball

Jasprit Bumrah has performed brilliantly in the ongoing first Test between India and England which is being played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. England is struggling in the turning conditions of Hyderabad and the spinners have dominated the Test match easily. However, if one pacer has shown his potential in this spin-friendly Test match then he is Jasprit Bumrah. Jasprit Bumrah has taken four wickets in this Test match as of now with two each in both innings and has been bowling brilliantly.

Jasprit Bumrah took the wickets of Rehan Ahmed and skipper Ben Stokes in the first innings and Ben Duckett and Joe Root in the second innings. He bowled a superb delivery to Ben Duckett which dismantled the off-stump of the England opener. Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha heaps praises on Bumrah’s spell where he foxed the England batters with his artistry.

“You can see that the bowl is reverse swinging and Bumrah got the wicket of Ben Duckett but the main thing is the way he was controlling the ball. If you see, he kept the shine inwards which should have ended up reverse swinging but he swung the ball outside. So he did both things and this art of keeping the ball straight and swinging it reverse is something which only a few bowlers possess and that’s where he surprised the batter. Maybe, Ben Duckett was thinking that the ball would remain straight but it reversed that is where Bumrah foxed him.”

“How you fox a reputed batter? you know when he is new to the crease, he is a bit anxious and his foot movement remains a bit stiff at the start so you need to get your best bowler or your best delivery in front of him. So planning brilliantly, he cramped Joe Root. The planning that was done and the way Bumrah bowled that delivery stump-to-stump. The main thing was how he built the situation and credit to Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah who planned the move knowing you can’t allow Joe Root to be set.”

Watch- Pragyan Ojha Dissects Jasprit Bumrah’s Bowling Against Ben Duckett And Joe Root

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Jasprit Bumrah returned to Test cricket after a year and a half when India toured South Africa for a two-match Test series. Since then, he has been performing brilliantly as he took 12 wickets against South Africa in the two Tests and now has also impressed against England in the first Test. India missed the service of their pace-maestro but he has returned and is performing magnificently for his side in the red-ball format.

India has not lost a home Test series for more than a decade as their last defeat came against England in 2012 when the visitors beat them 2-1. The hosts have won 16 consecutive series at home since the defeat in 2012 and are now looking to win the 17th series at home being undefeated. However, England initiated a fightback in the second innings led by vice-captain Ollie Pope who has smashed his fifth Test century in 154 balls and currently, England is leading by 55 runs at the time of drafting this article.