Jasprit Bumrah registered his first win as a Test match captain, with 8 wickets in Perth helping India seal a dominant and famous win at a location that is considered a fortress for the Australian team at home and take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While Bumrah’s opening spell in the first innings was magical and set the foundation for India’s terrific batting performance, crucial fourth innings wickets also helped Bumrah break the back of the Australian batting.
In particular, Bumrah dismissed the always dangerous Travis Head, with former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar extremely impressed by Bumrah’s wiles and ability to set up the wicket, going as far as to calling it the erstwhile Indian skipper’s magnum opus in terms of individual deliveries.
“It’s one of the greatest balls that he’s bowled in his career and this is no exaggeration,” said Manjrekar for broadcasters JioCinema. “Travis Head, set batter, the ball was soft plus the pitch looked a lot easier.”
Manjrekar was very complimentary of Bumrah, likening him to a genie for the way he regularly delivers for India. “It’s almost like it’s become this Indian cricket genie, you have a wish, and he comes and fulfils it. And this was like, almost an unbelievable thing to do on a pitch like that to produce a delivery of this kind where a set batter was out on defence,” he explained.
Southpaw Travis Head was batting on 89 and forming a frustrating partnership with Mitchell Marsh. While there was no large threat from the duo to take the match away from India, fans still would have wanted to see the back of a batter who has been such a thorn in their side in the past.
Bumrah also dismissed Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne on the evening of day three, his devastating late spell following the declaration putting India in pole position to wrap up an ultimately comfortable win over the Australians to take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“And what a time Bumrah is having. That was an incredible delivery, and I know, Australia would not have won, but that partnership was really frustrating for India. He got India right back in the game,” concluded Manjrekar.
India’s team and fans alike will be very pleased with the performances of the team in Perth, and with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set to return for the day-night Test in Adelaide starting on December 6, the visitors will be optimistic about making another strong tilt at the BGT.
