"You wanted high pace, intensity, accuracy and that everything is alright" - Aakash Chopra on Jasprit Bumrah ticking all boxes in 1st IND vs IRE T20I
Aakash Chopra believes Jasprit Bumrah virtually ticked all the boxes on his comeback after a prolonged injury layoff.
Bumrah registered figures of 2/24 in four overs as India restricted Ireland to 139/7 in the first T20I in Dublin on Friday, August 18. The visitors then registered a narrow two-run win via the DLS method, with rain stopping the game when their score read 47/2 after 6.5 overs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was delighted with Bumrah's comeback spell. He elaborated:
"Boom Boom - two wickets in the first over. You would have got a smile on your face, even I had one. What did you want from Jasprit Bumrah? You wanted high pace, intensity, accuracy and that everything is alright. He looks good."
The former Indian opener was particularly pleased about the unconventional pacer picking up two wickets in the first over of the match. He stated:
"India won and even better than India winning was Bumrah's comeback and my Player of the Match is Jasprit Bumrah. He did an amazing job in the first over itself. I had said Bumrah will pick up a wicket in his first over. Bumrah picked up wickets in the first over, not one but two. Well done Jasprit Bumrah."
Andrew Balbirnie struck a boundary off the first ball of the game but was castled off the inside edge off the very next delivery. The Indian skipper then had Lorcan Tucker caught by Sanju Samson when the Ireland wicketkeeper-batter tried to play an ungainly scoop shot off the fifth ball of the same over.
"The ball was swinging, he was pitching it at the right place and bowled an immaculate yorker as well" - Aakash Chopra on Jasprit Bumrah
While praising Jasprit Bumrah for bowling an almost perfect first over, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Lorcan Tucker helped his cause. He explained:
"The ball was swinging, he was pitching it at the right place and bowled an immaculate yorker as well. An inside edge hit the stumps and another guy was playing the scoop. Why were you doing that? Why were you taking such a big risk? What are you doing my friend?"
The cricketer-turned-commentator was also happy with Bumrah's leadership in his maiden T20I as skipper. He said:
"Bumrah was away from cricket for a long time but he still has pride, he is very, very good. He bowled extremely well and I would say he also captained well. He rotated his bowlers very well although a few extra runs were scored in the end."
Apart from the other bowlers, Bumrah used himself immaculately. He bowled two overs with the new ball before returning to bowl the 16th and 19th overs of the Ireland innings.