Feeling fresh and good: Bumrah on fitness after leading India’s attack

Jasprit Bumrah once again rose to the occasion, leading India’s bowling effort with a superb five-wicket haul that helped the visitors gain a narrow six-run lead after bowling England out for 465 in response to India’s first-innings score of 471 in the Headingley Test.

With little support from the rest of the pace attack, Bumrah stood tall, returning figures of 5/83 — his third five-wicket haul in England. The performance also saw him equal the legendary Kapil Dev for the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in away Tests (12).

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Reflecting on his performance, Bumrah said his approach was shaped by a clear focus on sticking to what worked best for him in the given conditions.

“I felt good in the first innings. Sometimes the downward slope helps and the wind was also decent, so that gives you a push. Sometimes when you see the dukes ball you can try to bowl banana swing and magic balls, but I was trying to focus on what worked for me,” he told Sky Sports ahead of Day 4.

The 31-year-old pacer also shared insights into his unique method of generating seam and swing, revealing that the traditional movement of the Dukes ball is not always predictable when new, prompting him to develop his own techniques.

“Usually over here, the Duke ball sometimes never swings with the new ball. Slightly, when it gets a little older, it starts to do consistently. But the ball was swinging from the word go.”

“I’m slightly different — so I don’t use my index finger. I use the big finger all the time. So I try to flick the ball. When I want to bowl an outswing, I flick it this way. When I want to bowl the inswing, I flick it inside because I can’t usually change my arm path too much because of the way my bowling style is.

“So I usually use my second finger for whichever swing I want to do because that’s how I’ve always bowled. I’ve learned this over the years as well that I can’t really change my arm path. Yes, I do change from where I want to bowl from the crease, but I try to flick it when I want to bowl it either way,” he added.

Bumrah also said he was satisfied with the rhythm he carried into the match, dating back to his training sessions in Beckenham following the IPL.

“The rhythm felt really good even in Beckenham, where we were practicing. Since I’ve come here after the IPL, the rhythm felt very good. So I was just trying to be in that zone and trying to take it to the game that I am not trying too much or not to get too aggressive,” he said.

With ongoing discussions about managing his workload, particularly the possibility of him playing only three Tests in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Bumrah was asked about his physical condition. “Feeling good. It is a little bit colder here than India. I am feeling fresh and good, so hopefully good things will follow,” he said.