On Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s, Jasprit Bumrah once again proved why he’s India’s pace leader. Though Joe Root’s unbeaten 99 caught most of the attention, it was Bumrah’s stunning delivery to dismiss Harry Brook that stood out as the moment of the day.

Sangakkara Applauds Bumrah’s Skillful Setup

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara praised Bumrah’s bowling during a chat with Sky Sports alongside Mel Jones and Ravi Shastri after the day’s play. Sangakkara admired how Bumrah carefully planned and executed Harry Brook’s dismissal, calling it a textbook example of smart bowling.

"But what I really loved during the whole day was the setup of Brook by Bumrah. I thought that was just exceptional bowling, great control of line and length," Sangakkara said. He added that Bumrah used his variations expertly, especially his off-cutter, despite Brook standing outside the off stump.

A Masterclass in Bowling Tactics

Sangakkara broke down Bumrah’s two-over spell in detail, pointing out how the fast bowler used different lengths and angles to create pressure.
"He went full, slightly short, six-and-a-half to seven-and-a-half meters, just three-and-a-half feet of play there, a bouncer in between to push Brook onto the back foot," he explained.

He also described how Bumrah changed his seam position, first bowling cross-seam before delivering the perfect seam-up ball that angled back in to hit the stumps.
"Then, of course, the control on the seam, cross-seam the ball before he got Brook, and then a perfect seam angling back in slightly wider to castle him. I thought that was just exceptional skill," Sangakkara added.

Bumrah’s Figures and India’s Discipline

Bumrah finished the day with 1 wicket for 35 runs in 18 overs, a brilliant return on a slow, batter-friendly pitch. Despite not taking many wickets, India’s bowlers stuck to their plans and showed great control.

Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up two wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja took one. Together, they managed to keep England’s scoring rate down to just 3.02 runs per over, which is unusually low for a side playing under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who have encouraged fast-paced "Bazball" cricket since 2022.

England Steady, But India Still in the Game

By stumps, England reached 251 for 4. Joe Root held firm at the crease on 99 not out, just one run away from his 37th Test hundred. Ben Stokes provided support with a gritty 39 not out.

Although England had the upper hand, India will feel satisfied with their effort on a pitch that offered little help. The visitors will now aim to pick up early wickets on Day 2 to swing the momentum back in their favour.