Amid the run-scoring frenzy in Rajkot during the third One-Day International (ODI) of the three-match India vs Australia cricket series, ace India seamer Jasprit Bumrah found a way to yet again show his class with the ball. Bumrah demonstrated how his special skills make him one of the world's most dangerous bowlers across formats, and on Wednesday, Australia batter Glenn Maxwell proved to be Bumrah's hapless victim. (Scorecard | Streaming | Asian Games Live | Cricket News)
Bumrah produced a virtually unplayable delivery that beat Maxwell all ends up. The fast bowler came up with a trademark yorker that snuck beneath Maxwell's bat and castled his off stump to leave the batter bamboozled.
The timely dismissal sent back Maxwell cheaply and prevented him from taking advantage of the favourable batting conditions. Maxwell could only score five runs off seven balls as the Bumrah yorker turned out to be too good for him on the day.
Veteran India commentator Harsha Bhogle too could not stop himself from gushing live on broadcast. "Australia wanted Maxwell to get a long stay in, and play himself into form, check out his fitness. That's not gonna happen, because he has been done in by a beauty from Bumrah," Bhogle commented on the dismissal.
The wicket, nevertheless, was a small joy for India as Australia scored a mammoth 352 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their stipulated 50 overs the first innings, thanks to stellar knocks by Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
All three of them scored half centuries, and Marsh fell just four short of a hundred as the Indian bowlers were made to toil in the unforgiving conditions. The conditions were so hot and fierce that Smith even had to resort to sitting on a chair and resting, hydrating in between overs.
The match, however, is a dead rubber as India have already clinched the three-match ODI series after winning the first two games. India had rested key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the first two ODIs but are playing a full-strength team for the final game, in the lead-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup, which begins on October 5.
