Former India player Parthiv Patel has applauded Jasprit Bumrah for bowling a stunning spell in the second Test between India and England than the one he did in the first Test. Bumrah, who claimed six wickets in the first Test in Hyderabad, registered figures of 6/45 in 15.5 overs in England’s first innings in Visakhapatnam and then scalped 3/46 in 17.2 overs in the second innings as India won the second Test by 106 runs as well.

During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Patel said: “We are talking about a fourth-day pitch which all of us felt was not easy to bowl on. However, Jasprit Bumrah came and the way he got the ball to carry and bowled consistently in one area, you need to acknowledge that he has the art to pick up wickets. Not only reverse swing, we saw the use of the slower ball, which means he knows how he can pick up wickets. We felt we won’t get to see a spell anywhere like the one he bowled in Hyderabad. But Jasprit Bumrah asked us to wait and we got to see an even better spell in Vizag.”

However, Jasprit Bumrah broke the backbone of England’s middle order in the first innings by removing Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes. The right-arm pace bowler also dismissed Tom Hartley and James Anderson to complete his six-wicket haul as well. And, Pragyan Ojha also praised Jasprit Bumrah.

“You know that spinners generally hold sway on subcontinental wickets but this is the beauty of sport. Sometimes things happen differently from what you think. However, one thing didn’t go against expectations, and that was the way Bumrah bowled. He picked up wickets whenever he was given the ball. You see where the match turns. We discussed that Joe Root could probably do that for England. He failed but Bumrah had decided that he had to do that job. The way he bowled yesterday (Sunday) evening, he didn’t get disappointed, because he knew it was just a matter of time for him to pick up wickets,” Ojha said.