Very happy with my performance, says Bumarh after fifer on day one

It is not often that in a line-up with four frontline spinners, a fast bowler ends up with a lion’s share of the wickets. But Jasprit Bumrah is no ordinary bowler, and on day one of the opening Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens here, with a splendid five-wicket haul (14-5-27-5), he proved that he was a man for all seasons.

“It’s very good,” Bumrah said after Friday’s play. “Whenever you play in India, usually it is the spinners who will pick up a lot of wickets. So, whenever you are able to make an impact, with limited spells, it feels very good. You know you will come in short bursts and you want to make an impact. Very happy with the performance.”

South Africa’s dismissal for just 159 can make the pitch appear devilish, and there were indeed instances – especially from the pavilion end – of inconsistent bounce. But Bumrah opined that nothing was served on a platter and stated that he had to persist and continuously recalibrate.

“Basically, it is the harder-ball game. When the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation would be a little quicker. As and when the ball became softer, the deviation lessens and then your accuracy comes into play.

“When I bowled the first over, everything happened. The ball swung, it stayed low, it went high. It was a little difficult to understand what the right length was. So, you keep bowling and figuring things out.”

Patience was an essential virtue too, for Bumrah got his first wicket only in his sixth over.

“If you want success in Test Cricket, then you need patience,” he stated. “Here, the outfield is very fast and the wicket hard. If you are desperate and try to bowl more magic balls, then the runs come very fast. So, controlling your temptation, creating pressure [are important].

“Not every ball will do [things], but some will. If you bowl continuously in good areas, then you will create chances for wickets.”