Bumrah produces a reverse swing show

Pace bowling on Indian wickets can be a frustrating experience, especially in Tests. Long spells on dead, slow pitches can be back breaking. And conditions at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here during the first Test have been what the pace tribe dreads.

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

England did not even feel that a second pacer will be useful, naming only Mark Wood in the eleven for his express pace, leaving the great James Anderson on the bench. India picked Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, though they were there essentially as the support cast to R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

For Tests in the subcontinent, most of the pacers' work comes on the first day when the spinners don’t get much assistance. Still, on Day 1 just 14 overs of pace was used -- 12 by India and two by England.

At the start of England’s second innings on Saturday, the pacers were not much in India’s bowling plans. But the way England batters played their shots to put the spinners off their rhythm, the Bazball approach was working for them. Runs came rapidly through openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope. Going at nearly six runs an over, England had wiped out 100 of the 190-run lead by the start of the 18th over.

The ease with which the Indian spinners were being dealt with forced Rohit Sharma to change plans. A pitch that had further slowed down didn't help.