Jasprit Bumrah’s maiden appearance as the captain had ended on a bitter note after Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow pummelled the Indian attack to help England chase down a 378-run target in the recent Edgbaston Test.
Root and Bairstow were back in the XI to strengthen England’s batting line-up in the first ODI at The Oval in London on Tuesday. But Bumrah made sure he took a sweet revenge.
He out-smarted both Root and Bairstow on way to recording his best-ever bowling figures (6/19 in 7.2 overs) in the 50-over format, making full use of the overcast conditions and the greenish tinge on the pitch that helped India bundle England out for a paltry 110.
Captain Rohit Sharma (76 not out) and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (31 not out) then had no problems in knocking off the required runs as India demolished England by 10 wickets to go one up in the series.
With Rohit playing shots at will, India took just 18.4 overs to romp home after the England innings lasted only 25.2 overs. Virat Kohli was ruled out of the game with a “mild groin strain”.
But Bumrah and his new-ball partner Mohammed Shami (3/31 in 7 overs) bowled so well that even if Kohli had played, India would not have needed him to bat.
England, who recorded their lowest-ever total versus India in ODI cricket, hardly showed any application after being put in to bat in pacer-friendly conditions.
Opener Jason Roy’s poor form continued as he played an atrocious shot to drag a wide ball from Bumrah back onto his stumps. Equally poor was Liam Livingstone, who all of a sudden shimmied down the track for an extravagant stroke and with his stumps exposed, he got bowled.
However, the two deliveries of Bumrah that stood out were the ones he bowled to dismiss England’s Edgbaston heroes. Root, Bumrah’s second victim, was done in by an awkward bounce that surprised him and took a faint edge off his bat.
Bairstow was Bumrah’s third scalp. The ball was pitched on a good length and held its line as Bairstow failed to avoid the nick that was well taken behind the stumps by Rishabh Pant. Shami’s victims included the dangerous Ben Stokes and rival captain Jos Buttler.
