BRILLIANT BUMRAH HAS INDIA ON BRINK OF WIN
Fast bowler takes five wickets to leave the tourists needing just one to clinch the third Test at Trent Bridge, despite Buttler’s superb first century for England
India closed in on victory over England in the third Test match at Trent Bridge on the back of an inspired spell from Jasprit Bumrah yesterday.
Fast bowler Bumrah took 5-85 as England finished on 311-9 at stumps on Day 4. Take the last wicket today and India will keep alive their hopes of winning a first Test series on English soil since 2007.
England lead the five-match series 2-0 after winning the Edgbaston Test by 31 runs and the Lord’s match by an innings and 159 runs.
Whatever the outcome of the match and series, though, Bumrah’s spell will likely be remembered for a long time to come.
The right-armer ended a 169-run stand between Jos Buttler (106) and Ben Stokes (62) just when England were edging closer to the highly improbable victory target of 521. But the hosts slipped from 231-4 to 231-6 in the space of two balls when Bumrah trapped Buttler in front of the wicket and bowled out an injured Jonny Bairstow for nought immediately after.
Bumrah, who had dismissed captain Joe Root earlier in the day, then sent Chris Woakes – centurion in the Lord’s Test – back to the pavilion for four. His other wicket was that of Stuart Broad (20).
Hardik Pandya also got into the act at the other end, dismissing fellow all-rounder Stokes.
India had appeared to be on their way to a colossal win when England slumped to 62-4 before lunch. But the hosts recovered to 173-4 at tea, with Buttler batting on 67 and Stokes unbeaten on 42.
The stand at least helped England regain some self-respect by ensuring they got through a session without losing a wicket. But the pair had their moments of good fortune along the way. Buttler was dropped on one by debutant wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and on 35 he edged Bumrah only for the ball to bounce in front of Cheteshwar Pujara, stood too deep at first slip.
Stokes had made 38 when he was rapped on the pad by Ravichandran Ashwin. India reviewed the not out decision for lbw, with off-spinner Ashwin’s delivery seemingly having straightened enough to hit the stumps. Stokes, however, survived on umpire’s call.
But both batsmen defended solidly and Buttler completed his fifty in style when he cover-drove Bumrah for a 10th four in 93 balls faced.
England were skittled out for just 161 in their first innings, with unheralded medium-pacer Pandya taking 5-28, and it looked like more of the same when they collapsed to 62-4.
It was the 31st occasion in their past 62 Test innings since 2016 that England had lost their fourth wicket having scored 100 or fewer runs. They lost their first wicket just five balls into yesterday’s play when fast bowler Ishant Sharma, testing the left-handed openers from round the wicket, got one to straighten away from the hopelessly flat-footed Keaton Jennings (13), who was caught behind.
England’s 27-1 soon became 32-2 when Ishant had Alastair Cook (17) edging one that straightened late to second-slip Lokesh Rahul.
England then lost their next two wickets on 64, captain Root (13) and Ollie Pope (16) both caught in the cordon.
Root tried to force a Bumrah delivery he could have left and Rahul, still at second slip, held the sharp chance – his fifth catch of the match.
As if to emphasise just how superior India’s slip-fielding had been to England’s this Test, Kohli then leapt high to his left at third slip to hold a superb catch that dismissed Pope, playing in just his second Test.