At the start of Day 2 of third Test between India and England, Jasprit Bumrah was breathing fire at Lord’s. The ace pacer had England reeling with a triple strike using the second new ball. But just as the tide was turning India’s way, a surprise ball change call from Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill shifted the momentum.
Flat Ball, Flat Phase for India
The replacement ball turned out to be a damp squib, doing little through the air or off the pitch. England’s lower order, led by Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse, took full advantage, putting on vital runs. The frustration was visible, with the Indian skipper Shubman Gill repeatedly expressing his displeasure at the umpires’ choice of ball.
Eventually, after just eight overs, the soft ball was switched again, this time for one that gave India something to work with, as they bundled England out for 387, after they had been 271/7 at one point.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan didn’t mince words as he laid into India’s decision-making.
“I’m a big believer that sometimes bowlers are a bit dumb. I’ve watched cricket for a number of years, and when you have got a ball that is moving around, I don’t care how big it is, I don’t care what shape it is in. It’s moving around, you just got three wickets,” Vaughan stated on Cricbuzz.
He also didn’t hold back on Mohammed Siraj.
“Mohammed Siraj, looks to me like he’s taking it on his own to the umpire saying ‘I want a change in the ball’. All the rest of the team should have gone whacked Siraj on the head and said, ‘What are you doing?’ Then the next ball arrived and it did nothing. They should not have done that, and bowlers sometimes, they overcomplicate life,” he added.
Bumrah the pick, but Siraj’s call under fire
Despite the mix-up, Bumrah was sensational, finishing with a five-wicket haul on his return after Edgbston layover. Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with two wickets apiece, but the damage done by that brief flat spell was already on the scoreboard.
Not the end of the world
Unlike Vaughan, England’s senior batter Joe Root, who was one of the victims of the original second new ball, offered a more balanced take.
“I don’t think it’s the end of the world… It’s one of those things where if the balls are going out of shape, you change them and you don’t make a big deal out of it. I don’t think it’s the end of the world. I think it adds a different dynamic to the game and you’ve got to be skilful enough to adapt to the changes, whether it stops swinging or starts swinging or does a little bit more,” Root said post play.
Root even suggested allowing teams three formal challenges for ball changes to avoid delays and confusion.
India trail, All eyes on Day 3
India ended the day at 145/3 in 43 overs with KL Rahul scoring a half-century and Rishabh Pant on the other end. The visitors are still trailing by 242 runs, with the onus now on the middle order to stand firm against Jofra Archer and Shoaib Bashir on Day 3.