1st T20I: Jasprit Bumrah, the unsung hero of India's win over New Zealand
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah may have picked a single wicket, but the 26-year-old had a major role to play in India's resounding victory over New Zealand in the first T20I.
Almost six months, in another cricketing battle between the same two nations, albeit the highest platform, Martin Guptill's fielding stunner to dismiss MS Dhoni in India's run chase had helped New Zealand outlast the favourites from World Cup 2019 semifinal. Guptill on Friday had pulled off another. At Eden Park in Auckland, Guptill's impressive diving catch helped New Zealand dismiss Chase Master Virat Kohli on 45 with the hope to grab the momentum. But uber-cool Shreyas Iyer laced a flurry of exquisite boundaries en route to an unbeaten 58 to guide India past 204 with an over to spare. Iyer's fireworks and KL Rahul's rollicking 56 helped India take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series against the Black Caps. But while the two deserve all the accolades for their batting in the massive chase, the one effort that went unacknowledged was that of Jasprit Bumrah.
Taking away no credit from Rahul and Iyer and the three other half-centurions in the Friday clash, but Eden Park is one of the most high-scoring venues, only second to the County Ground in Taunton. The flat pitch and the short boundaries are a treat for the batsmen. Since 2010, the scoring rate at the venue, accounting all T20 matches, is 8.85. And the state became evident from the manner in which the two teams batted throughout their knocks and ending the game with a strike rate of above 10 across the two innings. In fact, for 67.5 per cent of the total 40 overs, the run rate remained eight or above while in 20 overs it was 10 or more. Hence it was only up to the bowlers to decide the momentum of the game. And that is where Bumrah stood out.
Yorker was the key for seamers at the Eden Park with the variety conceding at 5.67 runs per overs in T20Is since 2017. The run rate almost doubles if the length is missed. Bumrah got to beat Martin Guptill's outside edge with the uppish delivery at the start of the game before conceding a boundary through mid-off against a length ball. The pacer bounced back to concede just two more in the next four deliveries, two of which were of yorker length. He returned for the penultimate over of the powerplay to concede yet another boundary owing to a shambolic fielding effort from Shardul Thakur at deep square leg. Bumrah ended with 0/13 after two overs, But New Zealand were on top with 68 for no loss in powerplay.
New Zealand openers Colin Munro and Guptill handled Indian attack tactically. While taking no undue risk against Bumrah, the two clobbered the other two bowlers - Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami for 55 runs. The openers raced away with an 80-run stand before Shivam Dube dismissed Guptill.
India bounced back with the ball in the middle overs with Yuzvendra Chahal being the key bowler. But New Zealand showed class as the experience of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor saw the hosts stay well within the run rate of 10. Williamson took on Thakur with a flurry of boundaries while Auckland witnessed vintage Taylor unleashing himself with back-to-back six against Shami in the 22-run 16th over. The rapid half-century from Williamson, off just 25 deliveries (his fastest) and Taylor's 71-ball 35 made New Zealand well set for 215-220. But Bumrah still had two more overs to go.
Mixing up his length, line and pace, Bumrah conceded just four runs in the 18th over while dismisses Tim Seifert for just one. He continued with the strategy in the final over, but was robbed of a better figure owing to India's abysmal fielding efforts that bogged them throughout the game. Nevertheless, his brilliance - 16 off his last two overs - helped India from not giving away those extra 10-15 runs. The end would have been a separate story for India, if not for Bumrah.
The 26-year-old recorded an economy rate of 7.75 while 3.8 per cent of his deliveries were well-timed by the batters (as per CricViz). On the other hand, the remainder of the Indian attack conceded 10.68 runs per over while 22.2 per cent of their deliveries were well-timed by batters. For New Zealand bowlers, the combined economy rate was 10.73.
Bumrah indeed has come back as an evolved bowler. Since the start of the year, Bumrah has conceded just 32 runs in four defeat overs while bagging four wickets and registering four dot balls.
With 204 to chase in Eden Park, India started off poorly - a boundary-less first over and Rohit Sharma's dismissal in the second over. But India bounced back strong on the back of an impressive 99-run stand between Rahul and Kohli for the second wicket, before Shreyas Iyer took over the responsibility with the remainder of the chase. India finished the chase - their fourth 200-plus in T20Is and highest in overseas - inside 19 overs.