Something to tell my son: Bumrah reflects on Lord’s five-wicket haul

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah etched his name on the iconic Lord’s Honours Board after picking a brilliant five-wicket haul on Day 2 of the third Test against England, a feat he says will be a proud memory to share with his son one day.

The 31-year-old was at his clinical best, finishing with figures of 5 for 74 as England were bowled out for 387. It marked Bumrah’s 15th five-wicket haul in Tests, surpassing Kapil Dev’s record of most overseas five-fors by an Indian bowler, but his muted reaction after claiming his fifth wicket sparked as much intrigue as his performance commanded admiration.

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Reflecting on the achievement, Bumrah said, “The name on the Honours Board feels good. It is something I can tell my son about when he is grown up.”

Although visibly fatigued after a taxing spell in the heat, Bumrah said the moment was worth every drop of effort.

“Reality is, I was tired. I can’t jump around like a 21-year-old. I was happy that I contributed. Other than that, I just wanted to go back to my mark and bowl the next ball,” he added with a smile.

Bumrah had been rested for the previous Test in Edgbaston under workload management, but his return here showed why he remains India’s premier strike bowler: pace, seam movement, and the ability to dismantle any line-up across conditions.

Drawing from past experience, Bumrah revealed that lessons from his previous tour of England helped him adapt better this time.

“I thought about the slope on the last tour; it did not help. My lesson from that was not to keep that in mind, and I got the benefit of that. In these hot conditions, it is all about maximising the new ball,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the star quick dismissed centurion Joe Root with a peach that nipped in and uprooted the middle stump, the 11th time he has dismissed the England great in Tests. The five-for was Bumrah’s second in as many Tests this series, having taken one in Leeds as well. He continued his fiery spell, dismissing Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes in a fierce morning burst before completing his five-wicket haul with the wickets of Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer.

‘Can’t lose my match fees’

Bumrah, however, preferred to remain tight-lipped when probed about the ball change row during the morning session. The quality of the Dukes Ball, currently being used in the ongoing series, has seen widespread criticism from pundits, and affected India’s tempo on the second day of the Lord’s Test.

After Bumrah wreaked havoc with three wickets in the morning session, fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj seemed unhappy with the ball’s condition and got his request for a ball change approved. From there, India’s rhythm crumbled as the new ball offered significantly less movement and instantly eased pressure on the English batters. Even the replacement ball had to be changed 48 deliveries later after it failed the ring test.

The ball change coincided with a clear shift in their energy and body language. Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse made the most of the momentum by rescuing England to a dominant 387. Bumrah said nothing can be achieved by arguing about the quality of the balls; it is a matter of keeping your head down and getting on with it.

“The ball changes, I don’t really control that. Obviously, I don’t want to lose out on money because I work very hard and play a lot of overs. So, I don’t want to say any controversial statements and get my match fees deducted,” Bumrah said after the day’s play.

“But we were bowling with the ball that we were given. And that’s how it is. We can’t change it. We can’t fight it. Sometimes it goes your way. Sometimes you get a bad ball. That’s how it is,” he added.

When the replacement ball was handed to India, captain Shubman Gill was left fuming, and he even argued with the on-field umpires. Even Siraj let his displeasure be known as he was heard on the stump-mic, saying, “This is a new ball, seriously?”