Birmingham, Jul 2: India captain Jasprit Bumrah bludgeoned a hapless Stuart Broad for 29 runs to create a world record for maximum runs off a single over in Test cricket, beating the legendary Brian Lara’s feat by one run.
The world record stayed with Lara for 18 years — he had hit South African left-arm spinner Robin Peterson for 28 runs in a Test match in 2003-04, which included four fours and two sixes off six legal deliveries.
Former Australia player George Bailey had also scored 28 in an over but he was behind Lara in terms of boundary count.
Broad, who had also been hit for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in the inaugural World T20 in 2007, gave away 35 runs in the 84th over of the Indian first innings in the fifth rescheduled Test here. There were six extra runs — five wides and a no-ball.
In the end, the Indian skipper was not out on 31 off 16 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.
It started with a mistimed hook that went for a boundary, and in frustration, Broad bowled a bouncer that went for five wides.
The next ball was again dug in short and another top-edge got Bumrah seven runs, including a no-ball.
The next three balls were hit for boundaries in different directions — one through mid-on, one through fine leg and the last one through mid-wicket.
To add insult to his injuries, Bumrah did the proverbial “Bazball” (English cricket’s current buzzword that lays emphasis on the attacking intent brought about by new coach Brendon McCullum) with a six over deep mid-wicket.
India finished their first innings on 416, riding hundreds from Rishabh Pant (146) and Ravindra Jadeja (104).
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said what he saw from Bumrah was “bizarre”.
“Now don’t tell me I was again on the mic when 35 runs were scored. I thought I had seen it all, but not really. 36 (runs) from Yuvraj; 36 I had hit myself,” said Shastri.
“And today what I saw was bizarre, it is something you would have never imagined. World record from Jasprit Bumrah, batting at number 10 as captain of India for the first time, going past Lara, George Bailey, Keshav Maharaj,” added Shastri, who was on the mic when Yuvraj had hit six maximums in an over in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
“29 off the over. The bowler is same, who Yuvraj hit for six sixes – Stuart Broad, going for that many. And the entire over went for 35, which is world record. Previous highest was 28.
“You feel you have seen everything, but you must realize you are still a student of the game, something will surprise you on another day. But what I saw today was something absolutely bizarre. Jasprit Bumrah breaking the world record, getting 29 off his bat in a 35-run over,” said Shastri. (Agencies)
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