'Harry Brook told Jasprit Bumrah you may be world No.1 but I'm good too': England batter, dropped twice, makes India pay

Hindustan Times

5 hours ago

The first session of Day 3 in the first Test may read 'shared' on broadcast, but despite India picking up two wickets, England seem to be batting themselves into a position from which they can't lose. 118 runs scored before lunch on the third day indicates that England are fighting fire with fire, and despite trailing India by 144 runs, they are still the top team. Harry Brook scored a sparkling half-century, while Jamie Smith continues to support his partner well as England, gradually and carefully, are inching towards India's first-innings total of 471. Harry Brook didn't let the aura of Jasprit Bumrah affect him(AFP)
Also Read: India vs England 1st Test Day 3 Live
India could have been a lot better placed. Three dropped two catches yesterday and had a dismissal reversed due to a no-ball. Of course, all this after a batting collapse saw them lose seven wickets for 41 runs. From 430/3, India were bowled out inside 500 when 600 looked easily gettable at one stage. To make matters worse, Jasprit Bumrah, who picked up all three England wickets yesterday, added a fourth, or so it seemed when Brook top-edged to Mohammed Siraj. Unfortunately, the umpire's hand went up to signal a no-ball, bringing back haunting memories from the Champions Trophy 2017 final and the World T20 2016 semifinal.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant hurls ball in anger after umpire refuses to change it; Bumrah, Gill accused of 'irritating the umpire'
Brook, who was on duck, went on to make India pay, scoring a brisk half-century. India, did not learn from their mistake and dropped him again, with Rishabh Pant putting down an edge off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. However, despite the nervy start yesterday, Brook showed no such nerves. In fact, against India's best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah – No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings, Brook danced down the wicket and slapped him for a disdainful four. It was that same confidence which Brook carried forward to take England to 327/5 at lunch. Brook's feisty takedown of Bumrah
Former England batter Nick Knight was more than pleased to see Brook's approach despite the early Bumrah threat. "We are seeing the very best of Harry Brook. When we watched him and admired his skills over the years, we often wondered the strike rate at which he scores in Test match cricket. The audacious shots that he plays, the general approach. I felt generally, this is the more refined version of Harry Brook. I like what I see, playing the game situation very well," Knight said during the lunch interval.
"I liked that first over or two as well, when he danced down to Jasprit Bumrah and said look, you may be No. 1 bowler in the world, but I'm pretty good too. I am No. 2 in the world, so this is going to be a good contest. I am not going to sit back here. So I thought that was much to like about it, but what I admired the most about Harry Brook is that he has read the game situation well and tried to develop partnerships. He has been pretty smart and astute. When you talk about Bazball, there was a huge amount of it in that session, but the point that I am trying to make is that it's refining itself constantly. And I think they played the match situation well."
The youngster, ranked No. 2 Test batter in the world, stood up to World No. 1 and did not bat an eyelid. Sure, Prasidh Krishna and Siraj finally got into the wicket column, dismissing Ollie Pope and captain Ben Stokes respectively, the battle between Bumrah and Brooks was the most captivating period of play on Saturday morning at Headingley.