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Kolkata: How do you solve a problem like Jasprit Bumrah? That is a question on every opposition skipper’s mind right now, especially Temba Bavuma. The South Africa skipper would have kept the Bumrah threat in mind when he chose to bat after winning the toss on Friday. However, he would have told his openers to carefully negotiate the first hour and then blunt Bumrah’s fury as the ball got older and conditions eased. However, it didn’t exactly turn out that way. Bumrah started by knocking off Ryan Rickelton’s off stump and never looked back. The conditions did ease out as it got hotter, but Bumrah did not relent. If his first seven-over spell was lethal, the other two were not much different. Even in the post-lunch session, Bumrah continued to make the ball sing. “It feels good whenever you make an impact to help the team, in whatever capacity,” Bumrah said later. “Sometimes you take time to assess the wicket and it always feels good whenever you beat the batter’s defence and knock off the stump.”
He got movement early on. In fact, the second ball of the match showed what he could do with a little help from the elements. The ball swung late after pitching and passing Aiden Markram, moving away from a chasing Rishabh Pant. The four byes were due to the movement rather than the wicketkeeper’s fault. “When I bowled the first over, everything happened. The ball swung, stayed low, went high. It was a little difficult to understand what the right length was,” Bumrah explained. “You keep bowling and you keep figuring things out. As and when the ball became softer, it did settle down. Not a lot was happening and the deviation was not consistent. So we realised when the ball is nice and hard, the seam is pronounced, it will do a little more. As and when the ball becomes softer, it will become slightly easier.” South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince too felt the “world class” Bumrah made a lot of difference on Friday. “The batters got out to good deliveries,” he said. “It was sensational bowling, particularly from Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj did come back with a better second spell, but Bumrah was relentless today.” Test match cricket is a game of patience, feels Bumrah. “You have to be patient, find the right area to bowl and keep hitting it consistently,” he said. In India, spinners dominate and Bumrah is always keen to make an impact in the ‘limited time’ that he has. “I could do it today and it is quite satisfying to grab a five-wicket haul,” he said.
