Jasprit Bumrah is back with a fiery spell in the post-lunch session. He is posing a real threat to the West Indies tail-enders. Captain Shubman Gill has handed the ball from the other end to Kuldeep Yadav, who is just one wicket away from his 5-fer.
While the Indians dominated the West Indies in the second Test as well, the bowlers worked harder than in the first Test in Ahmedabad. The Windies batsmen managed to bat 80+ overs in the first innings and also played their best innings for the series.
Kuldeep Yadav was the star in the first session of the third day’s play as the Indian chinaman took 3 wickets this morning, which included big wickets of Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach and finally Justin Greaves. Mohammed Siraj had sent back Jomel Warrican for his first wicket in the match.
Jasprit Bumrah plays the villain during Kuldeep Yadav’s spectacular 5-fer
Experienced Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has bowled a lot of overs in this match, in which Mohammed Siraj has bowled less overs. Siraj had taken 7 wickets in the last game and is the joint highest wicket taker in this series so far with 8 wickets.
Another bowler who shared the wicket with Siraj is spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who made his much-awaited comeback in the longest format of the game. Kuldeep, who has already taken 4 wickets, has been eyeing the fourth wicket for a long time.
With Jasprit Bumrah handed the ball from the other end, Kuldeep did not get any support from the great fast bowler. Bumrah took the wicket of Khary Pierre with a brilliant reverse swinging delivery just above the money.
He then continued to target the stumps and bowled some aggressive yorkers, while Kuldeep also kept trying from the other end. Unlike his actions in the first Test, Bumrah did not retreat an inch in his desperate attempt to get another wicket to his name, showing no concern for Kuldeep’s five-wicket haul.
Bumrah tried and helped Siraj reach 5-fer in the first test
However, when Siraj needed a wicket to complete his five-wicket haul during the first West Indies innings, the same Jasprit Bumrah was constantly trying to help Mohammed Siraj by not giving his best performance.
Jasprit Bumrah ran with the ball, but bowled a slower ball to Jayden Seales, followed it up with another slower ball on the second to last ball, and then finished the over by bowling another ball outside the off-stump line.
It seemed as if Jasprit Bumrah deliberately bowled out these last 3 balls to give a chance to Mohammed Siraj, who was close to 50 runs at that time.
Dhruv Jurel had earlier refused to give 5-fer to Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav eventually got his fifth wicket by taking the wicket of Jayden Seales in the 82nd over of the game, as West Indies were all out for just 248 runs in the first innings. He was out LBW right in front of the wickets; Hawk-Eye confirmed with three raids, and Kuldeep earned the long-awaited breakthrough.
This success could have been achieved much earlier, if the wicketkeeper had not missed the opportunity of catching Kuldeep’s ball earlier. Yadav’s googly took a slight edge off Anderson Phillip’s gloves, but Jurel, unaware of the direction of the ball, failed to catch it in time.
The left-arm spinner was then seen fuming at the wicketkeeper; However, in an interesting feat, he has taken all four wickets today without any support from the fielders.
Also read: Yashasvi Jaiswal or Shubman Gill – who did the Indian dressing room blame for the run out?
