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As India takes on England in the first Test at Leeds, the battle between England's premier batter Joe Root and India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah presents a mouth-watering contest that needs some discussion, as both players are at the peak of their powers.
From Friday onwards, the new-look Team India under captain Shubman Gill will have their task cut out during every Test match, to get Root out as quickly as possible. While there could be Arshdeep Singh's left-arm pace angle, Shardul Thakur's magic arm breaking partnerships, the intensity of Mohammed Siraj, or masterful spin by Ravindra Jadeja or Kuldeep Yadav, there is no one more well-equipped to outclass Root than Bumrah. Bumrah was India's ultimate crisis man and one-man army during the tour to Australia, taking 32 wickets and often breaking headache-inducing partnerships. He would be aiming to repeat his magic once again in English conditions, having pocketed Root's wicket a total of nine times in 24 innings. The English superstar has managed 286 runs at an average of 31.77 and a strike rate of 51.16 against Bumrah, utilising 36 fours against the pacer in 559 deliveries. He has played 411 dot balls against Bumrah. Both men are on a different mission, with Bumrah chasing South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) immortality, just five away from becoming the first Indian to 150 Test wickets in SENA and a five-wicket haul away from 10 fifers in such conditions, becoming the first Indian to do so. On the other hand, Root, the fifth-highest run-getter at 13,006 runs in Tests, is chasing Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar's all-time tally of 15,921 runs in Test cricket. Who will reign supreme in this battle of megastars? We will find out at Leeds. (ANI)
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