Bengaluru, August 16: As India celebrated their stunning 151-run win over England in the second Test at Lord's which helped them gain a 1-0 lead over England in the five-match series, bowling spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami and were hogging the limelight, though this time they revelled with the bat more!.
Shami, scored the most important half-century of his career while Bumrah showed tremendous application as their 89-run unbroken ninth-wicket partnership laid the foundation of India's win.
Shami, who remained unbeaten on 56 from 70 balls reached his second half-century in style, hitting a towering six off Moeen Ali while Bumrah made a stubborn 34 not not out to bat England out of the game as the both specialist bowlers came up with redifining career-best knocks with the bat.
The duo not only added invaluable runs for the ninth wicket after the early dismal of Rishabh Pant on the fifth-day moring with the score reading 209 for eight, but also consumed enough overs to take one session virtually out of the equation.
This was also India's highest ninth wicket stand in a Test match in England.
"Calling this partnership crucial would be an understatement. It has changed the complexion of the game! Well done," tweeted Indian great Sachin Tendulkar and his comments were spot on as India went on to win a thrilling game.
Calling this partnership crucial would be an understatement. It has changed the complexion of the game! Well done @MdShami11 and @Jaspritbumrah93!
โ Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 16, 2021
Go for it #TeamIndia. ๐ฎ๐ณ#ENGvIND
England captain Joe Root decided to spread the field anticipating a lot of aerial shots from the duo, but much to his horror and his own dressing room's surprise, both were ready to put their heads down and play proper cricketing shots.
With Mark Wood bowling with deep point and deep mid-wicket, the singles came easily and both of them showed copybook forward defence to Moeen, someone who has troubled the top-order regularly.
Jasprit
Bumrah
battles
bouncers,
verbal
volleys
from
Wood,
Buttler
They were peppered with a few short balls and Bumrah also got hit on the helmet by Wood, but he manfully carried on concentrating even more.
Their partnership was applauded generously by the Lord's crowd, mostly Indians, but it was their change room that gave them a standing ovation.
"A
partnership
to
remember
for
ages
for
@Jaspritbumrah93
&
@MdShami11
on
the
field
and
a
rousing
welcome
back
to
the
dressing
room
from
#TeamIndia,"
BCCI
tweeted
the
video
from
their
official
handle.
A partnership to remember for ages for @Jaspritbumrah93 & @MdShami11 on the field and a rousing welcome back to the dressing room from #TeamIndia.
โ BCCI (@BCCI) August 16, 2021
What a moment this at Lord's ๐๐๐#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/biRa32CDTt
Shami flicked Anderson for a boundary and also hit a picturesque cover-drive off Moeen. If that was not enough, he also lofted Moeen over mid-on for a boundary.
Once they had added 30-odd runs, Root understood that the aerial shot strategy had backfired and got back to the traditional two-slip and gully field.
"Really happy to see the entire team giving a grand welcome to both Bumrah & Shami. Such partnerships in trying circumstances lifts the morale of the entire team and suddenly gets everyone charged up. Great to see the team enjoying each other's success," VVS Laxman, another Indian batting great tweeted after seeing the innings and the subsequent reaction they got in the dressing room.
Really happy to see the entire team giving a grand welcome to both Bumrah & Shami. Such partnerships in trying circumstances lifts the morale of the entire team and suddenly gets everyone charged up. Great to see the team enjoying each otherโs success pic.twitter.com/V3TYRQWIT0
โ VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) August 16, 2021
With Root's strategy having backfired, Bumrah's defence and Shami's attack had piled on England frustrations which led to some on-field altercation between the two Indians Root and his premier pacer Anderson.
At the end of the match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli was cadid while admitting that the altercation really fuelled the team as India registered one of their comeback wins in Test history.