[Watch] Major injury scare as Jasprit Bumrah awkwardly twists his ankle in 1st India vs South Africa Test
"Ouch!" was the one-word reaction all-around as India's premier fast-bowler Jasprit Bumrah awkwardly landed on his ankle during the first Test against South Africa.
The incident happened in the 11th over of the day when Bumrah delivered a simple good-length ball to Rassie van der Dussen. He lost his balance on the last few steps of follow-through, twisting and landing on the side of his right ankle.
Here's a video of the same:
Bumrah 😢 https://t.co/rX2MaHUdzO
The play was stopped for a few minutes. Bumrah collapsed to the floor and appeared to be in severe pain as the team physio tended to his leg. In the only positive sign, he looked fine walking off the field on his own. But that didn't stop fans and on-air commentators from sharing concerns about a possible injury to the pacer.
Bumrah looks in pain. https://t.co/06bYUpNSf6
Later, the broadcast showed Bumrah sitting in the dressing room in pain with a white band-aid tied around his ankle. An official update from the BCCI confirmed a "right ankle sprain", saying only that Shreyas Iyer had replaced him on the field.
India on top despite Bumrah's injury scare
While a possible injury to Bumrah could have its long-term effects, it didn't immediately impact India's domination in Centurion.
In the very next over, Mohammed Shami delivered a peach to South African opener Aiden Markram, clean bowling him for 13(34). The delivery came into the right-hander with an angle. But it straightened at the last moment to perfectly kiss the bails off the top of the off-stump.
Then Mohammed Siraj replaced Bumrah in the following over and got his first wicket of the match. He troubled van der Dussen constantly and even extracted the edge on the fourth ball, but it didn't carry to the slips. The fifth ball was full, drew the batter on the front foot, and took the outside edge straight to gully.
Siraj even created a chance on the last ball of the over, similarly getting Quinton de Kock. But KL Rahul at the slips couldn't hold on to it.
The Indians, including Bumrah, have bowled blistering spells so far and it looks Herculean for South Africa to take a first-innings lead.