Zak Crawley’s exhilarating 76 against India on Day 2 of the 2nd Test was overshadowed by Jasprit Bumrah’s masterclass of reverse swing. While Zak Crawley enthralled with his free-flowing strokeplay, Jasprit Bumrah six-wicket haul ripped through England’s batting, leaving the match tantalizingly poised.
Crawley’s innings was a masterclass in adapting to conditions. He nullified Ravichandran Ashwin’s threat, even taking Jasprit Bumrah to the cleaners after surviving an early drop. His fifty, laced with four fours and a six, showcased his natural talent and attacking intent.
But Bumrah’s spell after lunch stole the show. The Indian paceman produced magic with the reversing ball, leaving Zak Crawley himself in awe. “He’s an unbelievable bowler,” admitted the English opener. “When the ball is reversing like that, he’s fantastic. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say ‘well played’. He bowled brilliantly.”
Zak Crawley acknowledged the challenge Jasprit Bumrah poses and hinted at England’s plans to counter him. “We have to find a way to counteract him,” he said. “It’s about coming up with a gameplan and sticking to it. We’ll come up with some gameplans to counteract it and hopefully we’ll be sweet.”
For Jasprit Bumrah, the wickets were just another reward for years of honing his reverse-swing prowess. “I grew up watching legendary bowlers using it to bowl magical deliveries and it really inspired me,” he revealed. “It is something that I practiced a lot, learning to set up the batters and making it a strength of mine.”
His delivery to dismiss Ollie Pope, an unplayable inswinging yorker, exemplified his mastery. “There was some reverse swing,” Bumrah explained. “I had not bowled a yorker till then, but I thought okay might as well take a chance with that and it did swing a lot.”
With both sides showcasing contrasting brilliance, the stage is set for an enthralling battle in Visakhapatnam. Can England find a way to counter Bumrah’s magic, or will India press their advantage and take control of the Test? Only time will tell.
