Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lavished praise on Jasprit Bumrah for his superb all-round show against England in the second Test at Lord’s. Bumrah contributed with both bat and the ball as India thumped the hosts by 151 runs to take 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Zaheer believes Bumrah’s altercation with the England players on Day 5 of the Test match helped the pacer channel his anger in the right manner for the team.
Bumrah had welcomed James Anderson with a barrage of bouncers during England’s second innings at Lord’s following which the England pacers returned the favour on Day 5. The likes of Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson made Bumrah face some chin music when he came out to bat at number 10 for India in their second innings. However, the move backfired for England as the Indian tail-ender went on to score an unbeaten 34.
Bumrah combined with Mohammed Shami to post a record unbeaten stand of 89 runs and help India set up a target of 272 runs for England. He later returned to pick up three wickets in England’s second innings to bundle out the hosts for 120 runs and help India register a memorable win at Lord’s.
Zaheer said Bumrah should try to needle the opposition more often if he can channel his anger in the right direction and help the team’s cause. The former India pacer further reckoned that England would be thinking that the hosts should not have messed with the Indian speedster.
“If by getting angry, he can carry himself and perform like this, I believe he should at times needle the opposition. See, in the first innings, he had gone wicketless and being the class bowler that he is, I’m sure it must have bothered him,” Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz.
“After that, the whole Anderson episode that unfolded, the bouncers he bowled to him and then while batting, the manner in which the England pacer went after him all those things motivated him, and he channelised that anger in the right way. England must be thinking ‘we should have let Bumrah bowl bouncers’ and not mess with him. The intensity with which he bowled, was worth praising,” he added.
Bumrah will hope to continue his tremendous show when India lock horns with England in the third Test of the five-match series which gets underway from August 25 at Headingley in Leeds. India are 1-0 up in the series after two matches and will be looking to consolidate their lead.
