Jasprit Bumrah defends team selection for Chennai Test, highlights troubles faced on Day 1

Looking back at India's tough day on the field, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah lamented the saliva ban imposed by the ICC and the consequent difficulty in shining the ball to make it swing. The speedster, playing his first Test in India, added that the ball gets 'scuffed up' easily in the subcontinent and said that the pitch will be assessed only after both the sides have bowled. Bumrah also defended the team's decision to snub Kuldeep Yadav and bring in Shahbaz Nadeem. 

Addressing a press-conference at the end of play on day one, Bumrah said, "It didn't spin a lot today. It's difficult to assess, till both teams have bowled then we can make a call. Tomorrow our main aim is to create more chances and create more pressure. Then we can see session by session how the wicket is changing. The ball did become soft after a while and the wicket is on flatter side with the bounce being less. You are left with limited options (to shine ball). We are trying to figure out what we can do with the limited things on hand, at that time."

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India's most successful bowler on the day admitted that they found it difficult to maintain the ball as ICC has banned the use of saliva in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. "Yes, it becomes difficult when the ball becomes soft and doesn't shine really well because of new COVID-19 rules, we can't use saliva, very difficult during that time to maintain the ball," Bumrah said.

On Kuldeep's snub by the management, the speedster said that the team was backing each and every player and the selection can only be looked at after the match has ended. Bumrah highlighted that the squad is focussed on the play tomorrow and picking up the remaining 7 wickets. Kuldeep Yadav's snub by the management has triggered a huge uproar with several veterans questioning the team selection, given the turning conditions at Chepauk. The chinaman has been warming the bench ever since his dry run in the IPL 2019 and failed to appear even in a single match during the Australian Test series. 

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Root torments India

Continuing his form from the Tests against Sri Lanka, England skipper Joe Root notched up his third consecutive Test century on Friday as he led the attack against India at the Chepauk. Riding high on confidence after the historic victory Down Under, the Men in Blue locked horns with England on Friday morning in the first Test of the 4-match series. Winning the toss, the visitors chose to bat first at the fresh Chepauk pitch and have made the most of it since then. While India managed to snatch to quick wickets in the first session of the day, the bowlers have since experienced a wicket-drought as Joe Root and Dom Sibley continue to exploit the brilliant batting conditions at the Chepauk. 

After Ashwin and Bumrah's early strike, the bowlers have been tired out by Root and Sibley with the former reaching his third consecutive century. However, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah snuck a wicket in the last over of the day as he trapped Sibley in front of the stumps to deny him of his century. England are 263/3 at the end of play on day 1. 

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