Rohit's masterstroke and Bumrah's execution

Australia had slipped to 53 for three in no time but Shaun Marsh and Travis Head had baulked the Indian attack with a 33-run stand. Marsh was facing the final over before lunch by Jasprit Bumrah and the left-hander had done well to see off the five balls.

It appeared Australia would go into lunch at 89/3, a relatively comfortable position before Bumrah pulled off a stunner. The right-arm quick had bowled all his five deliveries in the upwards of 140 kph and with one ball to go, he slipped in slower ball with little change in action. Marsh, having been used to Bumrah’s pace, was flummoxed by the 111 kph trundler. He was forced into the shot early and missed the line completely to take the ball flush on his pads. Umpire Ian Gould had little hesitation in raising the finger.

It was a crafty piece of bowling and Bumrah later reveled it was Rohit Sharma’s idea to bowl the slower one. Rohit is known for his cricketing acumen and reading of the situation. And few understand Bumrah the bowler, like Rohit, who captains the Gujarat quick in Mumbai Indians.

“When I was bowling there, the wicket had become really slow and the ball had become soft,” Bumrah pointed out. “Nothing much was happening. So, last ball before lunch, Rohit was there at mid-off and he told me ‘you can try a slow ball like you bowl in one-day cricket.’ So, I thought yeah, I could give it a go. Nothing is really happening and maybe a slower ball there and some of their guys play with hard hands… So, I wanted to try that, the execution was good on the day. Yeah, really happy,” he explained.

Bumrah also admitted he was hoping for a catch at short cover.

“I tried to bowl a slower one, a fuller slow ball. Maybe it will dip or go to short cover. So that was the plan and it worked.”