Picture Credit: X
When it comes to the current firmament of Indian cricket, then there are no shortages of star players; cricketers who have the charisma and talent to single-handedly take the game away from the opponents.
That's actually true despite the recent T20 and as seen subsequently, Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The dazzling duo may have vacated the space in two big formats but the likes of Gill, Jaiswal are rising. But more importantly, the team still very much has the big star presence of ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
As a matter of fact, the world class bowler who thus far, hasn't simply allowed anyone to master or control his craft, holds a great record against England, a team he'll be locking horns against soon.
Against the mighty English side, Bumrah has taken 60 wickets from just 14 games. That's quite a lot. But that being told, which are some of his top class bowling spells against England's cricketing unit?
1st Test in Hyderabad 2024 - 4 for 41
Truth be told, the 2024 5-match Test series between India and England was a comprehensive one for hosts India; a contest that the sub-continental giants won by a comprehensive margin of 4-1.
The manner in which India came back during that series having copped up a defeat in the opening Test match was truly inspriational.
But what was interesting was to note the manner in which Jasprit Bumrah performed even in the game that India lost in Hyderabad.
During England's second innings, Bumrah bowled a great spell taking four-for forty one runs, which included the big wickets of Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope.
What remains a prized spectacle even today, a few months from that memorable contest was the manner in which Bumrah clean bowled Pope, who made a whopping 196, thanks to an utterly unplayable delivery. The right hander simply had no idea about the delivery.
2nd Test in Vizag - 6 for 45
In the very next game of that series, held in Visakhapatnam, India made a strong comeback but for that to happen, the bowling had to click just as well as the batting department that was powered by the likes of Jaiswal, Rohit, Gill and Iyer.
But the man in the centre of the storm who had the immense responsibility of making India shine was Jasprit Bumrah.
And he responded brilliantly to the challenge.
He took in the first innings the big wickets of Pope, Root and Bairstow and Stokes. The big four of England line up had no clue on how to guard against one of the best fast bowlers of his generation.
On the whole, barring Zak Crawley, no English batter had a proper answer to an imperious Jasprit Bumrah in the first inning. He simply didn't allow any of England’s big four to hit a fifty.
In the end, he took 9 wickets in the match. This remains his best figures against England in a Test.
3rd Test at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge, 2018
Quite frankly, there's something about Trent Bridge that fires up Jasprit Bumrah like nothing else does. It's traditonally been a ground that sees massive one day scores powered by huge personal or individual batting belligerence such as the 2018 giant score of Alex Hales versus Australia: the 92-ball-147.
But when it comes to Test match cricket, it becomes a ground that, as seen in the last half of a decade, becomes laced with Bumrah bombardment.
This was evident during 2018, the first time Bumrah ever visited England. And believe it or not, in his first ever appearance, the seamer claimed a brilliant 5 for 85 in the second innings of that Test, a spell that included the big wickets of Root, Buttler, Bairstow, Broad and Woakes.
On the whole, he bowled 29 overs during England's second batting inning and barring Buttler, who struck a memorable ton, Jasprit Bumrah didn't let any other English batter breathe easy.
The contest was also made memorable for Kohli's amazing century but it was Bumrah who backed up India's bowling cauldron with exceptional control and paved the way for a fine 203-run win for the visitors.
1st Test in Nottingham, 2021
Three years after first appearing akin to a hero at Trent Bridge, Jasprit Bumrah returned to the legendary venue during India's 2021 tour to England. And he was on the attack at the very first go, claiming a much-wanted 4 for 46 in the first innings, a spell that included the key wickets of Burns and Buttler.
Bumrah's incredible spell was evident right from the off, as he took just five deliveries to remove Rory Burns, then a stable top order batter. After Thakur and Siraj joined the party, India's experienced seamer wiped up the tail removing Broad and Anderson easily.
That big four-for spell in the first innings ensured that the English team were restricted for 183, this allowed a team powered by Rahul, Rohit, Jadeja who made fine scores to chip in.
5 for 64 in the very same contest, 2021
In the very same match, Bumrah had lost no focus or intent during the second bowling innings, wherein he took 5 for 64 and helped India draw the game.
In so doing, he took the big wicket of Joe Root who made 109, which was instrumental in England making their highest score in the match with 303. The decisive wicket of Sam Curran, who tried to hang in there with a vital thirty something, too changed the game in India's favour.
But the effort was never going to be enough as the lower order crumbled and found itself facing much pressure exerted by the bowling duo of Shami and Bumrah.
Jasprit Bumrah also bowled 39 overs in the contest.
