PALLEKELE: The Indian selectors' decision to rest
Jasprit Bumrah for the ODI series in the West Indies seems to be paying off as the youngster has come out all guns blazing against the Sri Lankans. Perhaps he needed that break from cricket after facing criticism for bowling that infamous no-ball which helped Pakistan opener
Fakhar Zaman get a second life in the Champions Trophy final and take the match away from India with a hundred.
Bumrah has made a fresh start here, delivering with the new ball as well as at the death. Having bagged his maiden five-wicket haul here on Sunday, Bumrah is the highest wicket taker in the series so far with 11 scalps.
Hardik Pandya opened the bowling with
Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the first One-Dayer in Dambulla, but skipper
Virat Kohli threw the new ball to Bumrah in the two matches in Pallekle, and the bowler responded brilliantly.
Bumrah claimed 2 for 22 in 6.2 overs after Pandya conceded 35 runs in six overs without getting a wicket in the first match of the series. The pacer utilised the juice that has been on offer in Pallekele during the early part of the two matches here.
His bowling in the second ODI went largely unnoticed due to a dream comeback by Lankan off spinner
Akila Dananjaya. Bumrah not only provided the first breakthrough on Thursday by having opener Niroshan Dick wella caught by
Shikhar Dhawan at mid-wicket with a slower off cutter, he was instrumental in keeping the Lankans under check with some fine death bowling.