India's pace-bowling Jasprit Bumrah bowled 13 overs on Day 2 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Bumrah created a few chances which were put down, bowled a no ball off which he got Harry Brook's wicket. Despite the missed chances, Bumrah was by far the best bowler on Day 2 as he claimed all three wickets of the home side. England opener Ben Duckett who scored a half-century, hailed Ollie Pope for scoring his second Test century against India.
"Yeah, I just think he was so calm coming out. You know, he probably could not walk out in tougher conditions with Jasprit running down the hill with the lights on, so, you know, to, I think at one point he was run-a-ball 50 or around that, so. It was great batting with him. I always have a good time out there in the middle with him, and it was goosebumps when he got to 100, you know, you could see what it meant to him. He is such a big part of this dressing room, and it was just great to see him be there 100 not out," Duckett said about Pope's innings.
Duckett acknowledged Bumrah's brilliance and how he made it tough for English batters to bat. He feels England's situation could have been worse but they were able to minimise the damage.
"He is good in India on the flattest pitches ever, and you know when he is coming in down the hill with the lights on and it is swinging both ways, it is tough, and I feel like we minimise the damage early on. You know, it could have been a lot worse today, so I think we are pretty happy in the position we're in," Duckett added.
Duckett explains what makes Bumrah difficult to face
Duckett also talked about what makes Bumrah so difficult to pick. The southpaw said that the batters struggle to identify the kind of delivery he will bowl as there are barely any changes in the way he delivers the ball.
"First of all, how unique his run-up is. You are obviously waiting and waiting for him to get there, um, and I think just his ability to bowl three or four different balls with no cue. You do not know he is bowling a bouncer or a slower ball or an outswinger or an inswinger until it comes out of his hand, really. He has got such a fast wrist. So that is why you have got to watch the ball so hard with him," Duckett further added.
At the end of Day 2's play, England were 209/3 with Pope batting on 100 off 131 balls. England still trail by 262 runs.