“I wasn't expecting Jasprit Bumrah to come on and bowl”- Jamie Smith admits fear of Indian pacer

Jasprit Bumrah picked a fifer in the first innings of first test between England and India in Leeds.

England Cricket Team keeper-batter Jamie Smith talked about facing the Indian Cricket Team pacer Jasprit Bumrah on day five of the first test between the two sides. The game was played at Headingley in Leeds and saw England win the match by easily chasing a 371-run target, losing only five wickets.

Due to their numerous catches being missed in both innings of the match, the Indian bowlers and fielders were heavily criticized.

Because bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj were unable to defend the target of 371 runs on Day five of the match against England, the bowlers received a lot of criticism for their performance in Leeds.

The only bowler who appeared to be in form, though, was Jasprit Bumrah, who delivered with a five-for in the opening innings. In response, England wicket-keeper batsman Jamie Smith, who formed the final pair with Joe Root, expressed his apprehension over Bumrah’s bowling.

I wasn’t expecting him: Jamie Smith on facing Jasprit Bumrah on day 5

The Indian captain, Shubman Gill, tossed the ball to Bumrah at the end of Day five in the hopes that he would perform some magic with it. Jamie Smith seemed alarmed by this and attacked Ravindra Jadeja, who bowled from the opposite end.

“The runs at that point (when Smith decided to go after Jadeja) were not too many, so I wasn’t expecting him (Bumrah) to come on and bowl (with the new ball), but you’re just never quite sure, especially in cricket.

“You don’t know what will happen. I always back our tail, but there could be a couple of decent balls, and suddenly you’re eight down and the pressure’s back on you again,” Smith told ESPNCricinfo.

“It was nice to just get it done and move on. I knew there was a new ball coming, and it looks as though I’d exposed Chris Woakes (at No. 8), but, at that point, if I’d hit another couple of sixes in that over, you’re taking all the momentum into the new ball. The second new ball can bring wickets, but it can increase the scoring rate as well. There’s always a little bit of calculated thinking behind it,” he added.

Before Bumrah could create any danger with the ball, Smith hammered a couple of huge hits off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling to conclude the contest early for England.

With more than 150 wickets in the game’s longest format, Jasprit Bumrah leads the SENA countries in wicket-taking, demonstrating his remarkable record. Even greats like Chaminda Vaas and Wasim Akram were eclipsed by him.

After playing ten games in England, Bumrah has taken 42 wickets, demonstrating his mastery of the format, to go with the best bowling stats of 5/64, and average of 26.47.

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