Ravi Shastri fumes at Siraj, Prasidh, Shardul’s lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah: ‘I’m really concerned about him’

There was a reason why the entire conversation about bowling heading into the opening game was around one man. In the 13 overs he bowled on Day 2 of the Leeds Test, Jasprit Bumrah unleashed hell, picking all three wickets that fell on Saturday as England began their bid to match India's first-innings total of 471. While Ravi Shastri and Nasser Hussain, like most others, were in absolute awe of the modern-era great, they reckoned his carnage at Headingley overshadowed India's weakness, which will have captain Shubman Gill worried. India's Jasprit Bumrah appeals unsuccessfully on day two of the first cricket test match between England and India at Headingley cricket ground (AFP)

Bumrah gave India an early breakthrough, dismissing opener Zak Crawley in the opening over of the innings with an unplayable delivery. He then got rid of well-set Ben Duckett, before dismissing Joe Root for the 10th time in Test cricket.

Nasser and Shastri could not stop praising Bumrah, but reckoned that he lacked support from the remaining bowlers, with the difference in level clearly visible.

Speaking to Sky Cricket at the end of Day 2's proceedings, Nasser said that the drop-off was clear as he compared Bumrah to the rest of the Indian bowlers. While the 31-year-old recorded 3/48 on Saturday in Leeds, the remaining bowlers went wicketless for 154 runs.

"With how unorthodox he is, they could have had more wickets if they had caught well off him," Hussain said. "It will be a concern for India the drop off from when Bumrah is bowling to the rest. But it is a small sample size, the others will get into the series."

Shastri too spoke on similar lines, urging the likes of Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to pull up their socks. The former India head coach was much too worried about Bumrah's workload as he felt Day 2 in Leeds increased expectation and thus pressure on the bowler to deliver wickets as his partners struggled in English conditions.

"I’m really concerned about Bumrah and what his workload will be as the series progresses, because he is the one man who is expected to pick wickets every spell he bowls. I just hope someone at the other end puts their hands up," he told Sky Cricket.

But as Nasser highlighted, the sample size is just too small, and this is only the start of the series, and India would only be hoping that one of the other fast bowlers raises their standard and delivers for the team.

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