India vs England 2025 1st Test: Jasprit Bumrah in 'fast-forward' mode to greatness, says star India player
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after claiming five wickets against England in the 1st Test at Leeds. (Photo: ANI)
Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah claimed his 14th five-wicket haul to bowl out England for 465 in their first innings of the first Test at the Headingley in Leeds. It was Bumrah's 12th five-wicket haul away from home, equally the record set by former India captain Kapil Dev.
Bumrah also has the most five-wicket hauls since he himself made his debut in Test cricket, surpassing Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Taijul Islam, who have claimed 13 five-wicket hauls each since the Indian pacer's debut.
On 'Match Centre Live', JioHotstar experts Sanjay Manjrekar and Nick Knight analysed the standout moments — praising KL Rahul's near-flawless innings on third day, dissecting England's tactical plans against Sai Sudharsan, and lauding Bumrah's rapid ascent towards all-time greatness.
Speaking on 'Match Centre Live' after the conclusion of Day 3 of the first Test, JioHotstar expert Sanjay Manjrekar hailed KL Rahul's near-flawless innings as 'perfection in motion' while praising Sudharsan's technique:
'We've seen KL Rahul play many good innings over the years, but I have to say — that knock was very close to perfection. Honestly, he didn't put a foot wrong. There were a couple of cover drives in particular that were absolute 10 out of 10 — even the harshest of critics would struggle to find a flaw. It was perfection in motion. There's a lot of responsibility on KL Rahul, and he's carrying it superbly. Touch wood, he's looking in excellent rhythm,' Manjrekar said.
'As for Sai Sudharsan, it was good to see him get some runs under his belt. He'll be disappointed not to kick-on because, as a batter, once you cross 30, you feel like you've assessed the attack and done the hard work. But that's where he's unique — very old-school in his approach. He plays the ball late, very still at the crease, no exaggerated trigger movement — just classic technique. That short-arm jab, the cover drive, even the straight drive… textbook stuff,' former India cricketer added.
England's bowlers can't find a way past #TeamIndia's unconquerable fortress! 🔥
🗣 #NavjotSinghSidhu & #VarunAaron praise #KLRahul's outstanding technique & determination!
Will he stand strong again on Day 4, or will England finally break through? 👀 #ENGvIND | 1st Test, Day… pic.twitter.com/ANvVutspdR
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 23, 2025 KL Rahul's technique is tailormade for England: Nick Knight
JioHotstar expert Nick Knight praised KL Rahul's tailormade technique for England. 'I just love watching KL Rahul bat. He's one of my favourite players to watch — such elegance, such control. I genuinely believe his style and technique are tailormade for English conditions. He gets into a solid stride, really gets that front foot close to the pitch of the ball, which helps him cover any lateral movement — something that's critical here in England. His balance today was outstanding.
'I noticed England tried to go a little fuller to him, maybe in an attempt to draw out the bottom hand and make him play through mid-wicket. But when they hit that in-between length, he was just too good — so much control, composure, and time. And overall, that partnership at the top was just excellent. Set the tone beautifully for India,' former England opener Nick Knight said about Rahul. Jasprit Bumrah's rate of notching up milestones is unbelievable: Sanjay Manjrekar
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar hailed Jasprit Bumrah and projected him as an all-time Indian bowling legend if he maintains this trajectory. 'He's in fast-forward mode when it comes to achieving greatness and reaching milestones. Just look at the number of five-wicket hauls he's picked up in England — and you think about how many legendary bowlers have toured here multiple times to get close to that. This guy isn't even at 50 Test matches yet. And if he plays all five in this series — although we're told he might be rotated — just imagine what those numbers could look like. The rate at which he's racking up those milestones is simply unbelievable. If he gets to 100 Test matches, and stays fit, we might be talking about one of the great fast-bowling careers in Indian cricket history.
'If someone asked me to pick India's best-ever seam bowler, just on pure skill and impact, I'd have to go with Jasprit Bumrah. Of course, we've had the legendary Kapil Dev. There's been Zaheer Khan, who was formidable in his own right. Further back, you had names like Mohammad Nissar — true pioneers of Indian fast bowling. But if I'm being honest, it would be difficult for me to not pick Bumrah as my number one. He's not just a match-winner, he's a once-in-a-generation talent,' Manjrekar added.
Manjrekar said there is no bowler in the league of Bumrah in either side. 'Realistically, after putting up 471 in the first innings, what this young Indian batting line-up has already achieved is commendable. Now, if they can back that up with a second-innings total of around 350 or even 325 — and that's all speculative of course — it would still be an outstanding batting effort. That would set England a target in the region of 350-360, and you never know with this England side — they could very well go after it and pull it off in normal course. But here's the leveller: India have Jasprit Bumrah. And there's no bowler in this Test — on either side — quite in his league. If the pitch continues to dry out and starts turning more, India not only have Bumrah, but they also have Ravindra Jadeja coming into play. That combination can make life very difficult for England. Which is why I believe we're heading towards a very close Test match,' Manjrekar said.
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