Kolkata, Nov 14 (IANS) Legendary pacer Dale Steyn lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s 5-27 performance against South Africa in the first Test, noting that Bumrah’s precise bowling areas provided a blueprint for success on Eden Gardens’ pitch.

Bumrah’s carnage reduced South Africa to 159 in their first innings in just over two sessions after opting to bat first in the first Test of the series.

“Bumrah was the blueprint for the day in terms of how bowlers should bowl, not just because of his wickets. If you watch the areas he bowled and how he bowled, that’s exactly how the South Africans should look to bowl. He hit the deck hard, didn’t bowl many half-volleys, targeted the stumps, and gave away very little. That’s the blueprint if you want to be successful on this type of pitch. If you follow that, you get the rewards like he did with his five-wicket haul,” Steyn said on JioStar’s ‘Cricket Live’.

The South African veteran pacer noted that not only the lengths that Bumrah bowls but his stature also gets wickets for him.

“Bumrah hits you with pace 145, 140 km/h, it’s really quick. He doesn’t give anything away and still picks up wickets. That’s his mastery. His name brings a threat. In the dressing room, the discussion among batters will be: ‘Let’s see through his spell. Let’s not get out to him. We’ll try to take on the spinners or Siraj if he’s having an off day.’ But every time Bumrah bowls, he manages to pick a wicket or two, and that puts the other bowlers in a position to strike as well. His name gets him wickets, not just the areas he lands the ball in,” Steyn added.

The 42-year-old pacer also heaped praise on Bumrah’s fast bowling partner, Mohammed Siraj, who also got two wickets to support the former and wrap South Africa’s innings quickly.

“Siraj is always firing; the guy doesn’t stop. Whenever his captain throws him the ball, he delivers. He bowls long spells of eight or nine overs and adapts beautifully to conditions. In England, he swung the ball brilliantly. He waited for his turn, bowled in all those Tests, and the wickets came. Many bowlers get despondent when things don’t go their way, but he waited and it came good for him. In this Test, he bowled from the far end where there wasn’t much movement. It wasn’t going his way. He came back from the other end, got a little reverse swing, and picked up two wickets. His heart stands out the most,” Steyn said.

Bumrah and Siraj shared seven wickets between them while Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were the two spinners to bag wickets for India, who fielded four spinners in their playing XI for the first time since 2012.

At stumps, India were 37/1, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 13 and Washington Sundar not out on 6. The hosts are still 122 runs behind.

–IANS

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