New Delhi: Jasprit Bumrah walked into the first Test against South Africa carrying the burden of leading India’s bowling attack but by the end of Day 1 at Eden Gardens as he had turned the contest on its head. Across a sharp, relentless 14-over spell, Bumrah sliced through the Proteas lineup to finish with five for 27.

The haul wasn’t just another entry in his growing list of match-defining spells. It placed him in a rare bracket, making him the first fast bowler in 17 years to pick up at least five wickets on Day 1 of a Test match in India. The last pacer to achieve that was Dale Steyn back in 2008 when he scythed through India in Ahmedabad with figures of 5 for 23. Since then, Day 1 fivers for quicks on Indian soil have been almost unheard of with spinners usually dictating the narrative.

Even Ishant Sharma’s five-for in Kolkata four years ago came in a pink-ball Test, a format which is known to offer more for seamers. Bumrah’s effort under regular red-ball conditions on a surface not known to hand freebies, underlying both his precision and his ability to create pressure without drifting off his lengths.

More to follow…