Daijiworld Media Network - Manchester
Manchester, Jul 26: India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah came under criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan, who remarked that the pacer looked like a “shadow” of his former self during the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford.
Vaughan, speaking to the BBC, said, “Bumrah has looked okay and playable today. He hasn't got that oomph that he showed at Lord's when he bowled that incredible spell. It's the pace he's not able to generate, unlike Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer.”
Bumrah, who bowled 28 overs for 95 runs with just one wicket — that of Jamie Smith — appeared to struggle to extract assistance from the Manchester surface. While he did not make a major impact in this Test so far, he achieved a significant personal milestone on Day 3, becoming only the third Asian bowler to take 50 Test wickets in England, following Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (53) and India’s Ishant Sharma (51).
The 30-year-old has now picked up 50 wickets in 12 Tests in England at an average of 26.38 and an economy rate of 2.79.
Bumrah currently stands as the third-highest wicket-taker in the series, with 13 wickets in five innings at an average of 26.69, including two five-wicket hauls. However, the performances fall short of the standards he set during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Australia, where he scalped a staggering 32 wickets at an average of just 13.06.
As India look to wrap up the series, all eyes remain on Bumrah to rediscover his rhythm and bounce back in trademark fashion.