Ind vs Aus 1st Test, Day 3: Jasprit Bumrah was a busy man on Friday, when the Indian pacer doubled up as the nightwatchman to help India consolidate their position in the day-night test against Australia in Adelaide. Now as the visitors eye to extend their 62-run lead, all attention would be on the unorthodox bowler.
India had a great second day, courtesy of Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin’s superb bowling display. Australia, reeling at 79/5, eventually were all out for 191. Bumrah capped an eventful day by facing 11 balls as the nightwatchman, ducking cleverly and blocking all the vicious bowling from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
At the stumps, he was given a standing ovation by his teammates in the dugout for his small cameo. Interestingly, during the tour game, Bumrah had given a glimpse of his batting prowess, scoring a spectacular fifty. It is one of the reasons he was given such a responsibility.
But can he repeat the same heroics once again, and become India’s best ever nightwatchman?
Ind vs Aus 1st Test Day 3: Who holds India’s highest run record as nightwatchman
Syed Kirmani is the highest scorer for India as a night watchman. In a match against Australia in 1979, India had lost Sunil Gavaskar late on day one of the sixth Test in Mumbai. The great wicket-keeper batsman Kirmani was sent in to bat and he held on as India finished the day on 231/3. But little did anyone know that it is the next day that would see history in the making. Kirmani worked his way to his first Test ton, scoring 101*.
Bumrah is yet to open his scoring but the way he batted and looked comfortable on the pitch, he has the skills to break Kirmani’s record and become India’s best ever nightwatchman.
His teammate Ashwin who was not surprised by Bumrah’s assured batting said:“Jasprit is an extremely competitive cricketer, he really likes to take a battle on,” Ashwin, who claimed 4-55, said as India moved 62 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand.
“He made a fifty in the warm-up match. He looks at home when he’s defending. So it was a no-brainer as far as the team was concerned.”
The Ind vs Aus 1st Test, Day 3 begin at 9:30 am.
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