Patience and not being desperate to bowl the “magic ball” frequently were among the key elements to Jasprit Bumrah’s success, which put India on the ascendancy in this Eden Test.
“Patience is the first lesson in Test cricket. If you want success in Tests, you need patience. On such a wicket, which is a bit on the harder side with a fast outfield, you may leak runs if you are desperate to bowl the magic ball.
“So, you have to control your temptation and look to create pressure by making run-scoring options tougher. Not every ball will do something, but some will. So, if you continuously bowl in good areas, your chances of getting wickets are higher,” Bumrah, taking all his five wickets bowling from the Eden Club House end on Friday, said.
His workload always being a factor, Bumrah’s fitness too gets questioned at times. Pat came the retort from the pace spearhead to his detractors. “I try to give my best in whichever format I play. The questions (asked) are not my questions, and I will not answer them. So yes, I try to play as much as I can. I try to take care of my body, give my best in each and every format, and that’s what I will look to do in future as well.
“The question-and-answer sessions can carry on. Whoever wants to play can play, but I’m happy if I’m able to contribute, if I try to learn new things and offer more to the side.”