England’s fightback with the bat was at the forefront as the third day of the first Test match in the five-match series between India and England concluded. The standout moments included an iconic century by English batter Ollie Pope and a spirited rivalry between another English batter, Joe Root, and Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
Notably, Bumrah demonstrated his reverse-swinging deliveries on Saturday, taking two crucial wickets to help India keep pace with England on the third day of the first Test. Bumrah dismissed Ben Duckett and Joe Root in the middle session of the day, showcasing his skill and ability to extract reverse swing.
“One of my frustrations was to not still be there at the back end of it, but he’s a quality bowler with a huge amount of skill and pace,” Root said in the post-day press conference when he was about his dismissal off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling.
During the end-of-day press conference, the former England skipper Joe Root did not hold back any praise for Bumrah’s performance through the first three days, hinting at a rivalry brewing between the two. The 33-year-old shared the disappointment he felt after giving in to Bumrah’s bowling prowess but explained that it was only expected from someone of the pacer’s calibre.
‘It’s what you’d expect from a Test match, and a big moment in the game. I was disappointed not to get through it (Bumrah’s spell). You know that for four or five overs he will charge in and throw everything at us.” Root added.
Root was dismissed by Bumrah for 2 runs, earlier on on Day 3, marking a pivotal moment in the innings. This instance has pushed Root to keep a score amongst the two players, which he thinks is currently at level, with the Englishman having already dismissed Bumrah on Day 2.
”So, 1-0 to him, although 1-1 actually as I got him out earlier. I’m sure that this battle will continue throughout the series,” Root added.
The Englishman’s batting performance has been forgetful so far into the first Test, with him scoring 29 runs off 60 balls during England’s first innings, followed by 2 runs in 6 balls in their second. However, the player has been impressive with the ball, picking up four wickets in the first innings.
When it comes to Root’s rival Indian pacer, Bumrah has also bagged four wickets in his two innings, keeping the score open for both, as the match progresses into its most exciting stage on Day 4.