Bumrah shines but Brook brings England almost level with India

By AFP

June 23, 2025

Jasprit Bumrah speaks at the presentation ceremony after final Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia, on January 5, 2025. — AFP

LEEDS: Harry Brook fell for 99 on his home ground and the brilliant Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets on Sunday to leave the first Test between England and India at Headingley finely poised.

England were bowled out for 465 on the third day, in reply to India’s first-innings 471; a deficit of just six runs. When Brook was dismissed just one run shy of three figures, England were still 73 behind at 398-7.

But Chris Woakes, selected to lead the bowling attack in place of the injured Gus Atkinson, got England almost on level terms with a handy 38. The 36-year old all-rounder, who has a Test century to his credit, struck consecutive sixes off paceman Prasidh Krishna before he was bowled by Bumrah.

Bumrah then wrapped up the innings by bowling Josh Tongue to finish with excellent figures of 5-83 in 24.4 overs. The 31-year-old has now taken 14 five-wicket hauls in just 46 Tests. Brook’s aggression, in an innings in which he had three reprieves, eventually proved his downfall.

One run shy of what would have been a first Test century at Headingley -- and ninth in 26 matches -- he mishooked a Krishna bouncer to Shardul Thakur at fine leg. Brook threw his head back in agony following the end of a typically dashing 112-ball innings featuring 11 fours and two sixes.

He had been caught off a Bumrah no-ball while still on nought in Saturday’s last over and on Sunday he was dropped on 46 and 82 -- with both those chances ones India should have taken. England resumed on 209-3, 262 runs behind, with Ollie Pope exactly 100 not out after coming in with the hosts in trouble at 4-1.

Pope, having added just six more runs off as many balls, made a careless exit when, trying to cut a wide ball from Krishna, he edged to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Brook treated Bumrah, widely regarded as the world’s leading bowler, with disdain when he advanced down the pitch and drove the paceman through the covers for four.

He then dished out similar treatment to Mohammed Siraj. But from around the wicket, fast bowler Siraj had England captain Ben Stokes caught behind for 20 with a fine delivery that cut away from the left-hander as he pushed outside off stump.

Stokes, without a Test century for two years, threw his bat in the air in frustration before he walked off. Brook should have been out on 46 when he pushed forward to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja only for Pant to drop the thin nick.

England won the toss

India 1st Innings 471

England 1st Innings

Crawley c Nair b Bumrah 4

Duckett b Bumrah 62

Pope c Pant b Krishna 106

Root c Nair b Bumrah 28

Brook c Thakur b Krishna 99

Stokes c Pant b Siraj 20

Smith c Sudharsan b Krishna 40

Woakes b Bumrah 38

Carse b Siraj 22