"This guy with a freaking machete for an arm" - Twitterati hails Jasprit Bumrah for brilliant fifer in 3rd India vs South Africa Test
Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah replied to his critics in style with a sensational five-wicket haul at the Wanderers, the venue where he made his Test debut in 2018. This is his seventh fifer in Test cricket and second in South Africa.
He bowled 23.3 overs in the innings - a whopping 7.3 more than the second most used bowler - to pick up five wickets for just 42 runs. He was also the most economical pacer of the innings, with an economy rate of 1.8, bowling eight maidens.
His victims included both South African openers Dean Elgar (3) and Aiden Markram (8), who lost their wickets to beautiful deliveries.
The innings' top-scorer Keegan Petersen (72) was the third and the most important of the lot. Bumrah then avenged the last Test by clean-bowling Marco Jansen (7) before reaching the milestone by dismissing the last batter Lungi Ngidi for 3.
"Boom Boom" trended on Twitter and appreciation poured in from all quarters for the 28-year-old's effort, with fans and pundits hailing his genius and fighting spirit. The following are the best of the reactions:
The five-wicket hauls of Bumrah in Test cricket:
2 in South Africa
2 in West Indies
2 in England
1 in Australia
Legend, Boom. https://t.co/q6ISzNsmwM
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: 210FIVE FOR BUMRAH! 🔥
Ngidi is the last man dismissed, as Bumrah finishes with figures of 5️⃣-4️⃣2️⃣
🇿🇦: 210
#SAvIND #OrangeArmy
Inevitable wasn’t it; this Jasprit Bumrah 5 fer. Champion bowler🙌🙌.
Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it. Just phenomenal @Jaspritbumrah93 🙌🏻 #SAvIND https://t.co/lguXZQsL0p
Boom Boom Fifer 💥 https://t.co/51yPJBhSa4
Jassi, simply sensational! Fifer!
#INDvsSA
Anyway, makes for a interesting discussion.
Serious Test Match happening here, well bowled Bumrah for the 5 👊
Most five-wicket hauls outside India for Indian quicks (bracket has Tests played)
Kapil Dev: 12 (66)
Ishant Sharma: 10 (69)
Zaheer Khan: 8 (54)
Jasprit Bumrah: 7 (25) 🔥
Irfan Pathan: 7 (15) 🔥
Makes me miss peak Irfan! Was a beast..
#SAvIND
What a picture 🔥
#Bumrah #SAvIND https://t.co/CFfz0C5VFp
This guy with a freaking machete for an arm, just chopped South Africa's batting line up in half. #Bumrah
#INDvsSA #SAvsIND #Bumrah
Fifer for boom boom Bumrah 🔥 https://t.co/j5dRv1hhbi
What Jasprit Bumrah produces for India, game after game is far from normal. The guy is a once in a generation freak and we're blessed to have him spearhead our bowling attack. The fact that we have a lead is remarkable and mostly down to him! Greatest Indian fast bowler
#SAvIND https://t.co/Yg3ZqqUMY2
Yessss finally he gets the fifth one...the venue at which his Test Career started, Jasprit Bumrah has taken his 7th Test Fifer at the same venue today in the decider the most imp match of the series....The guy is back into wickets......WELL BOWLED BOOM #SAvsIND #JaspritBumrah https://t.co/jv5pnPyHkZ
This man changed indian cricket. Boom boom Bumrah. https://t.co/xANihznn6Q
Just as I was about to send tweet... https://t.co/9Rq3ktXQqu
Bumrah starts with the first wicket and ends with the 10th wicket.
5 for him 🔥🔥 #SAvsIND
twitter.com/im_yash2307/st…5/42 and more to come. Never ever EVER doubt a champion like Bumrah 🔥❤ twitter.com/im_yash2307/st… https://t.co/QoINMk9NSE
Jasprit Bumrah Leading the team when team go to the Dressing room, And all appreciated and clapping for Boom Boom Jasprit Bumrah. https://t.co/24QiXlYuVu
23.3-8-42-5. A stunning performance by Bumrah at a venue where he made his Test debut in 2018. He's come a long way since then. World class. https://t.co/673tHBCG1h
Boom-Boom 🥵
#INDvsSA #5fer https://t.co/CEUhkFOsqG
Four years ago Bumrah made his Test debut at Cape Town and today he took fifer at the same venue. GOAT in my book. https://t.co/q8Y3fLoUYS
This is his 2nd fifer against the 🇿🇦 since 2018!
A bowler at his peak powers, Jasprit Bumrah. 🙌 twitter.com/mipaltan/statu…
Jasprit Bumrah in Cape Town in Test Cricket:-
Debut Match in 2018. Now 5-fer in 2022. https://t.co/p62ksZDkeE
India eye winning target after Jasprit Bumrah's fifer
India have never lost a Test when Bumrah has taken a fifer and this match is another opportunity to continue that brilliant record. South Africa came close to the visitors' first-innings target but couldn't take the lead, falling 13 runs short.
India are at an advantage with the pitch likely to be good for batting on Day 3. Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to get some spin by the time South Africa come to bat in the final innings. But for that to happen, the whole Indian batting lineup, which, apart from Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, failed collectively in the first innings, will need to step up.
Anything above 250 should be good, but considering the result of the last Test and the fact that the pacers must be tired too, they should look to get past 300.