India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ran through the England batting line-up on Day 2 of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
In reply to India’s first innings score of 396, the Three Lions were in a strong position at 114/2 in the 23rd over. However, Bumrah produced an incredible spell of reverse-swing bowling to leave the visitors stunned.
The right-arm quick returned with the remarkable figures of 6/45 in 15.5 overs as England’s first innings folded for 253, conceding a significant lead of 143 runs.
Joe Root (5), Ollie Pope (23), Jonny Bairstow (25), Ben Stokes (47), Tom Hartley (21) and James Anderson (6) were his victims. In particular, the dismissal of Pope went viral on social media as Bumrah cleaned up the right-hander with a beaming in-swinging yorker.
South African legend AB de Villiers was also left awestruck by Jasprit Bumrah’s spell. He took to 'X' to announce that he would be hosting a live show on his YouTube channel, where he discussed Bumrah's toe-crushing yorker to Pope and his magical delivery to get rid of Stokes.
"The Man of the moment stepped up. What a bowler. It's Boom Boom Bumrah. I can't give this guy enough credit. He completely ran through the England lineup. The deliveries he bowled, especially to Stokes. All-in-all, a fantastic bowler, he asked all the right questions," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel, praising Bumrah.
"That ball to Ollie Pope, the guy who almost got a double hundred in the 1st Test match. He won England that Test match. Bumrah just decided, you know what, give me the ball to the best batter, I want to get him out. In my humble opinion, the ball started reverse-swinging at that very moment and that is where the reverse-swing is at its most dangerous moment. Ollie Pope did not pick up that the ball was reverse-swinging at that time. All credit to Bumrah," he added.
With this extraordinary performance, Jasprit Bumrah also became the fastest Indian pacer to pick up 150 Test wickets, in just his 34th match.
At the close of play on Day 2 in Visakhapatnam, Team India were 28/0, extending their lead to 171 runs in the second innings.
