Bumrah took a five-wicket haul on Day 1 of the Kolkata Test against South Africa.
Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball for India on Day 1 of the first Test match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Garden, Kolkata.
Opting to bat first, the Proteas got off to a fiery start, reaching 57 runs in just 10 runs without losing a wicket. However, Bumrah produced a couple of magical deliveries in quick succession to remove both the openers - Ryan Rickelton (23) and Aiden Markram (31).
The Indian pace spearhead dismissed Tony de Zorzi (24) in the middle-order and then cleaned up the tail, claiming the wickets of Simon Harmer (5) and Keshav Maharaj (0) to return with a five-wicket haul.
Bumrah’s 16th fifer in Test cricket helped India bundle out the visitors for a below-par 159 in 55 overs.
After the day’s play, Jasprit Bumrah addressed a query on workload management and critics questioning his commitment to Test cricket after he was rested for two Tests in England.
"I try to give my best in whichever format I play. These questions are not my questions; I will not answer them. I try to play as much as I can. I try to take care of my body," Bumrah told reporters.
Bumrah has been playing non-stop since England, moving from the Asia Cup T20Is to Tests against West Indies and then to T20Is in Australia, though he was rested for the ODI leg Down Under.
"I try to give my best in each and every format... Rest, question-answer sessions — whoever wants to play, they can play. I'm happy as far as I'm able to contribute and try to learn new things."
Even on a track assisting spinners, Bumrah’s haul stood out. "Whenever you play in India, it is known that spinners will pick up a lot of wickets. So whenever you're able to make an impact with limited spells... It always feels good. I'm very happy with the performance. The job is still left in the Test match."
South Africa’s batting coach Ashwell Prince blamed the conditions for their collapse. "We went to South Africa and in five sessions the Test match was over (Cape Town Test in 2024). So it's never a simple answer that this is how the wicket should be,” Bumrah said.
"This is the challenge of Test cricket. We go to England, the atmosphere is different. We go to Australia, the challenge is different. So we have to adapt.
"It is our job to adapt. That's the beauty of Test cricket -- different conditions, different skills. You must have a lot more skills in your armoury to succeed."
Bumrah spoke about the approach needed on Kolkata’s unpredictable track. "Patience is the first lesson in Test cricket. If you're too desperate or you go for a magic ball, the runs come too fast. You need to control your temptation and build pressure. There is a bit of help from the wicket, but you'll have to be patient here."
The right-arm quick also explained how he assessed the conditions early in his spell. "Basically, it's the harder-ball game. When the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation is quicker. When I bowled the first over, everything happened -- the ball swung, it stayed low, it went high."
"One ball kicked, one went low... So then you see, okay, this is the way it's shaping. As the ball became softer, it settled down. The deviation was not consistent."
(With PTI Inputs)