He picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
The psychological impact of India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was evident even in England’s historic run chase in the Headingley Test last week. Jamie Smith, who made 40+ run contributions in both innings, admitted that facing Bumrah, potentially with the second new ball, was a huge concern. Recently, he revealed how a possible spell from Bumrah with the second new ball influenced his decision to launch an attack against Ravindra Jadeja on Day 5.
“The runs at that point [when Smith decided to go after Jadeja] were not too many, so I wasn’t expecting him [Bumrah] to come on and bowl [with the new ball], but you’re just never quite sure, especially in cricket. You don’t know what will happen. I always back our tail, but there could be a couple of decent balls, and suddenly you’re eight down and the pressure’s back on you again,” Jamie Smith said on ESPNCricinfo.
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Coming out to bat at No.7, Jamie Smith smashed 44 runs off 55 balls with four boundaries and a couple of sixes. He smashed runs 17 against Jadeja, which includes two fours and a six. By the time the second new ball was available, England had nearly finished the game. As a result, Jamie didn’t get to face Bumrah in the second innings.
“It was nice to just get it done and move on. I knew there was a new ball coming, and it looks as though I’d exposed Chris Woakes [at No. 8] but, at that point, if I’d hit another couple of sixes in that over, you’re taking all the momentum into the new ball. The second new ball can bring wickets, but it can increase the scoring rate as well. There’s always a little bit of calculated thinking behind it,” Smith added.
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Jasprit Bumrah is living up to the expectations as he always does. His record, especially in England, speaks volumes, having claimed 42 wickets in just 10 outings at an average of 26.27. He now leads the tally for most wickets (150) in SENA countries by subcontinent pacers in Tests. He surpassed the likes of Wasim Akram (146) and Mohammad Asif (79) of Pakistan.
However, Bumrah will take part in only two of the remaining four Tests due to workload management. Having bowled the most overs (44) among Indian pacers, there are questions about his participation in the Edgbaston Test, a venue where India have yet to win a Test.
The right-arm pacer was overused during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2025. He bowled 151.2 overs in nine innings, the most by an Indian bowler in the series. It led to him sustaining a stress-related lower back injury during the Sydney Test. The injury kept him away from the game for nearly three months. He returned to competitive cricket midway through the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and played 12 games for the Mumbai Indians.
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