Bhubaneswar: He is 17 Tests and 79 wickets old. He made his Test debut exactly three years and one month back. However, Jasprit Bumrah is yet to be seen in action in the longest version of the game in India. That’s right, Jasprit Bumrah is all set to play his first Test in India when they face England at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai.
Bumrah made his Test debut January 5, 2018 against South Africa. Since then he has gone from strength to strength. Originally considered an expert in white ball cricket, Bumrah has shown the world that he is equally adept at Test match cricket. Today, he is the leader of the Indian pace attack in spite of the presence of players like Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.
There can be no doubt that Bumrah is eager to perform at home. It is these conditions that he has developed as a bowler. So definitely he will bring his full skillset into play in home conditions. Since his debut, India have played eight Tests at home. Bumrah has missed all those either due to injury or for being rested. Now he gets his chance to prove his mettle in home conditions.
No doubt, India skipper Virat Kohli is feeling good with Bumrah back in the side. The fast bowler missed the Brisbane Test against India due to an abdominal strain. However, Friday all eyes will be on him when India takes the field against England.
“Jassi (Bumrah) is someone who will be very keen to start off at our home conditions, because he understands these pitches very well. His skillset will be very handy on this pitch. It’s exciting to know that we have so many options. There are people who are bowling really well and are on top of their game,” Kohli said Thursday.
Kohli said it was on England’s previous tour in 2016, when pace became his team’s primary weapon. It helped India to win the series 4-0. Not only that, it was pace again that helped India win two series in Australia. The first was in 2018 and now this year.
“The last time around when we played England at home, our pacers outbowled theirs. If you ask me it was the beginning of the dominance of this fast bowling group,” Kohli said. “That’s something, as a captain, you are very pleased to see. I am very excited for them to start off strongly in this series as well.”
