LONE RANGER BUMRAH

Pacer claims second five-wicket haul of the tour but India let Australia off the

- GOMESH S

ASPRIT Bumrah was standing at fine-leg all by himself, with his hands on hips. It was about 10.50 AM on Sunday at The Gabba. Unlike the day one of the third Test between India and Australia, the sun was out and shining, and the extra half hour taken to compensate had gone well.

Bumrah, thanks to the rain on Saturday, had been able to continue his spell on Sunday and he was breathing fire. He ran in with purpose, removed both the openers, leaving Marcus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in the middle. Bumrah was desperate to break them up. He had bowled 11 overs till then, of which six were maidens, taking 2/12. On day two, he had bowled six on the trot when drinks were taken.

While the entire team having their break near the pitch, the pacer was on the boundary. Apparently, Bumrah seemed to have asked for another over, but Rohit Sharma didn't want to overbowl him. This was after 24 overs and the scoreboard read 53/2. Over the next hour or so, Bumrah felt like a guy watching from outside, wondering 'what more can I do'. He would go from mid-on to fine leg every over while Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep continued. A few overs on, Nitish K Reddy too was brought on. At this point, Labuschagne and Smith had got their eye in and looked set for a big score. Smith had brought back his trigger movement while the local lad was in a hurry to get going.