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HIGHLIGHTS

  • Anderson said that he was surprised by the pace Bumrah generated when he was facing up
  • The battle between Bumrah and Anderson ended up being a defining moment in the Test
  • Anderson said that he felt Bumrah was not trying to get him out

Veteran fast bowler James Anderson admitted that he was caught off guard by the series of bouncers that India’s Jasprit Bumrah peppered him with and the pace the latter was generating during the second Test at Lord’s.

The passage of play ended up being a defining moment in the Test match as England’s attempts at getting back at Bumrah when the latter was on strike during the fifth day backfired. India ended up winning the match on the back of a record 89-run ninth wicket stand between Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, with the latter scoring his second Test half century.

“I got caught off guard a little bit because all the batters coming in were saying how slow the pitch was,” Anderson said on the Tailenders podcast.

Anderson said that England captain Joe Root, who was at the other end and ended the innings unbeaten on 180, had told him that Bumrah was not bowling as quickly as he usually does.

“Banged in short; it was really slow. When I came out to bat, Joe said Bumrah was not bowling as quick as he normally does. And then, the first ball was 90 miles an hour and on the money, wasn’t it? And it felt like, I haven’t felt like this ever in my career. I felt he wasn’t trying to get me out,” Anderson said.

Bumrah bowled as many as four no-balls in that over. “I felt he wasn’t trying to get me out. He bowled an over, maybe 10, 11, 12 balls. He was bowling no-ball after no-ball, bowling short. I think he bowled two on the stumps which I managed to dig out. So for me, it was just about trying to survive that and get Joe back on strike,” said Anderson.

Author

India today

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