India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is being hailed for his game-changing spell late into the fourth day’s play against South Africa in the ongoing first Test in Centurion. With South Africa defying India attack in the final session of the penultimate day, Bumrah struck twice in quick succession to tile the game in India’s favour.
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The first of the blow came in the form of Rassie van der Dussen who was cleaned up by Bumrah as he shouldered arms only to see the ball seam back sharply to crash onto the stumps. That breakthrough ended Van der Dussen’s 40-run stand with captain Dean Elgar as the two thwarted the tourists.
Bumrah then produced a searing yorker to have nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj clean bowled on 8, leaving the hosts 94/4 in chase of 305. South Africa need 211 runs more to win the Test with a day remaining.
When Bumrah dismissed Van der Dussen, he also completed the milestone of having taken 100 wickets away from home. The right-arm pacer has now 105 wickets in Test cricket – 101 of which have come when playing overseas.
Incidentally, the 28-year-old had made his Test debut back in January 2018 in South Africa.
| Venues | Matches | Wickets | Five-wicket Haul |
| England | 8 | 32 | 2 |
| Australia | 7 | 32 | 1 |
| South Africa* | 4 | 18 | 1 |
| West Indies | 2 | 13 | 2 |
| New Zealand | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| India | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Jasprit Bumrah’s country-wise wickets distribution (*SA Test stats updated till Day 4 of ongoing first Test in Centurion)
India batting coach Vikram Rathour was all praise for Bumrah after the end of play on Day 4.
“That’s the quality of the bowler, he really set him up well,” Rathour said on the dismissal of Van der Dussen. “That’s what you expect from somebody like him. But all of us bowled really well. They were bowling really good lines.”
While India are just six wickets away from registering their maiden Test win in Centurion, the forecast for Day 5 isn’t promising with rain expected to play spoilsport.
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