Jasprit Bumrah revealed it was Rohit Sharma who came up with the idea of bowling a slower delivery just before lunch.
He said here after a sensational spell on Friday, “So, the last ball before lunch, Rohit was there at mid-off and he told me ‘You can try a slow ball as you bowl in one-day cricket.’ So, I thought yeah, I could give it go.”
Bumrah added, “Nothing was really happening and maybe a slower ball could work. So, I wanted to try that, the execution of the slow yorker was good on the day. Really happy.”
READ| India vs Australia: Bumrah rips through Australia, India on top despite second innings collapse
Bumrah whose six wickets - his third five-wicket haul in Tests - included a burst of three wickets for one run in 1.5 overs after Tea said, “The ball was reversing a lot, and we were thinking of exploiting it as we have the experience of bowling in these conditions in the Ranji Trophy.”
READ: AS IT HAPPENED
He agreed the yorker was an under-rated delivery in Test cricket but added, “Bowling the yorker takes a lot out of you. You can also go for runs. So you have to use it judiciously.”
Bumrah did not have any particular target for Australia in mind. “We will add as many as we can and back ourselves to defend the total,” he said.
He observed there was less lateral movement for the pacemen here than in South Africa and England. “I am focussing on consistency here. Playing in every country is a learning experience” said the 25-year-old paceman, who, in his ninth Test, is only five short of 50 wickets.
On his long association with India bowling coach Bharat Arun, Bumrah said, “First time when I went to the NCA, he was there and he saw my action. I have been lucky in that he didn’t want to change my action and always believed that with this action I have to become stronger. He worked on my control.”
READ: Bumrah sizzles in debut year
Dare to dream
Pat Cummins, who scalped four in a dramatic burst late in the evening, felt Australia was still in with a chance. "If we knock them over in the morning, you just never know. The wicket is still pretty good."
He added, "Last year we batted really well on days four and five [at the MCG], so you dare to dream."
Cummins defended the Australian batting line-up. “It’s still a young batting group ... they're trying their best. It's always going to be hard missing two of your best players. For India, they [Kohli and Pujara] have had such a big impact on the series so far."
About his own zestful bowling, Cummins said, “The good thing is I have felt fresh coming into this series.”
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