"Bumrah needs to be celebrated like how India celebrates Sachin Tendulkar"- Fans hail ace pacer for sensational spell on Day 1 of 1st BGT 2024-25 Test
Team India skipper Jasprit Bumrah sprung life into a seemingly one-sided affair in the final session of the opening day of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test in Perth on November 22. After winning the toss and batting first, India were bowled out for a paltry 150 in their first innings.
However, never one to relent without a fight, Bumrah produced an incredible opening spell of 3/9 in six overs. The 30-year-old removed both Australian openers, Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney, to reduce the hosts to 19/2.
Yet, the best was still to come as Bumrah dismissed ace batter Steve Smith for a first-ball duck to set off wild celebrations among the Indian players. The champion pacer then returned at the tail end of the day to remove his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins to finish with figures of 4/17 in 10 overs at stumps.
Bumrah has often lived up to his billing as the world's best bowler against Australia, picking up 36 wickets at an average of 19.36 in eight Test outings.
Fans on Twitter could not control their excitement and celebrated Bumrah with the following reactions:
Fans continued celebrating Bumrah for his incredible spell with one saying:
"Bumrah is an unbelievable bowler. I have seen so many great fast bowlers in Australia in test matches eg. Wasim , AD , Pollock, waqar but their dominance would go down significantly bowling against Aussie batsmen. He is once a generation talent."
"Nothing better than watching Jasprit Bumrah just demolish the top order. Either they are clueless on how to play him or take him on and get out. Incredible bowler," tweeted a fan.
"Grateful to have seen the term "Indian fast bowler" go from being an oxymoron to being the norm. Jasprit Bumrah is truly generational," a fan said.
Bumrah's heroics propel India ahead in the opening Test against Australia
Despite scoring a dismal 150 with the bat, Team India finished day one with their noses in front, thanks to Jasprit Bumrah's heroics.
The stand-in skipper found excellent support from the other two pacers, Mohammed Siraj and debutant Harshit Rana. While Siraj picked up the massive scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh, Rana removed India's nemesis Travis Head.
The pace trio's sensational bowling display left Australia reeling at 67/7 at stumps on the first day, trailing India's first innings total by 83 runs.
Earlier in the day, the Aussie pacers were similarly on the money with Josh Hazlewood's four-wicket haul leading the charge. The spicy Perth track saw 17 wickets fall on the opening day in one of the most dramatic starts to a Test series.