Mohammed Siraj (4/32) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/33) came up with fantastic bowling efforts to lift India to victory in the second Test against England at Lord’s. Set to chase 272 in 60 overs, the hosts folded up for 120 in 51.5 overs, handing India victory by 151 runs.
Jos Buttler (25 off 96) and Ollie Robinson (9 off 35) resisted the Indian bowlers with a defiant eighth wicket stand of 30. However, once Bumrah trapped Robinson lbw with a clever slower ball, the end came quickly. Buttler, who had curbed his aggressive instincts, poked at one from Siraj. The pacer then cleaned up James Anderson (0) by beating the England tailender’s defence from round the wicket.
England began the day in the ascendancy, and when Robinson sent back Rishabh Pant for 22, the match seemed to be heading only one way. However, a stunning ninth-wicket partnership of 89 between Bumrah (34 not out) and Mohammed Shami (56 not out) stung England hard. India declared on 298 for 8, just a few balls into the second session.
Under pressure, a fragile England batting line-up crumbed against a fired-up Indian attack. The chase got off to the worst possible start for the Englishmen as both their openers were sent packing with ducks against their names. Rory Burns got a leading edge as he tried to turn one to leg off Bumrah but only managed to lob a simple catch towards mid-off.
Dom Sibley was squared up by one from Shami that held its line and could only tickle the ball to the keeper. Rohit Sharma dropped Haseeb Hameed on 4 at slip but it did not prove costly as Ishant Sharma trapped him in front of the stumps for 9 with an in-ducker. DRS could not save Hameed and left England reeling at 44 for 3.
On the last ball before Tea, England were dealt another massive blow as Jonny Bairstow (2) also perished leg-before to Ishant. The middle-order batsman missed a length delivery that nipped back. However, the umpire wasn’t convinced with the appeal. Virat Kohli chanced his arm with the DRS and, for once, he had taken the right call as replays forced the original decision to be overturned.
The moment of the match for India, though, came right after Tea. Bumrah forced an edge off Joe Root (33) from a good length delivery around off stump and all the England skipper could do was edge it to his opposite number in the slips. At 67 for 5, India were all over England at Lord’s.
Things could have been worse for England had Kohli not dropped a regulation catch of Buttler on 2, Bumrah being the unlucky bowler. Siraj, however, sent back Moeen Ali (13) and Sam Curran (who bagged a king pair) off consecutive deliveries with probing balls outside off stump to keep India interested.
Siraj and Bumrah then combined to finish off England’s resistance.
The Shami-Bumrah show with the bat
Shami and Bumrah have featured in some memorable partnerships for India with the ball over the last few years. On Monday at Lord’s, they sizzled as a batting pair to stun England. Shami and Bumrah shared a match-defining stand of 89 as the hosts completely lost the plot.
After Robinson sent Pant back for 22, he also got rid of Ishant (16) with a smart slower ball. However, the moment Bumrah walked in, England lost focus and purpose. They peppered the Indian tailender with bouncers, reminding him of what he had done to Anderson. One of the rising deliveries even struck him on the helmet. At the other end, Shami too faced some chin music. However, both batters were prepared to take some blows and did not relent.
Once they battled through the rocky period, both Shami and Bumrah batted like proper batsmen. They played a number of impressive off-drives, getting to the pitch of the ball. The frustrated Englishmen tried to have a go at Bumrah, which resulted in him having a heated argument with Buttler, forcing the umpires to intervene.
Nothing worked for England though as the dazzling duo continued on their merry ways. While Bumrah was content taking singles, Shami took on Moeen Ali, clobbering him for a four and a six off consecutive balls to bring up his second Test fifty.
India went to lunch at 286/8 and declared the innings after nine balls in the second session, setting England a highly challenging 272. The Bumrah-Siraj show then sunk England to another home defeat.
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