Birmingham (UK), June 28, 2025 (ANI): In the 1st Test, England trounced India by gunning down a 371-run target, their second-highest successful chase in the format. After India fell to a 1-0 deficit, the rumour mill suggested that Bumrah was highly likely to miss the on-field action in Birmingham, scheduled to begin on July 2. However, India’s ace pacer was seen breaking a sweat, bowling in nets ahead of much awaited second Test, which Men in Blue are eyeing as an opportunity to bounce back after disappointment.
01:00No, I think if I look at the first innings, I was a little too short than where I wanted to be, definitely 6-8 is ideal.
01:11That's what I would say. I think second innings it got slightly better because again the wicket was slightly slower.
01:16I had to pitch a few slightly behind 8 and then go slightly fuller when I'm trying to get a wicket.
01:22So yeah, I definitely did not bowl the length that I wanted to.
01:26Is it just being ready of not floating it up there or is it just my real condition?
01:34Yeah, I think so. Not wanting to float it up there is definitely one of the reasons.
01:40And also it honestly took me some time to get used to the slope that side.
01:45No reasons, but I should be able to do it as a professional.
01:48But I take complete responsibility about it and then maybe do it better next time.
01:52Prashid, as we all know that in this series, the Boombra will play only two of the remaining pro-tech matches.
02:02So as a bowling unit, how challenging would it be for you guys when they just did not be there in the era?
02:08What the culture that we guys have created is we are learning of each other no matter who's there, who's around and with Boomb's around.
02:17He's been talking to all of us all through even before coming here.
02:21At least for me, I've been part of this team for a few years now.
02:24So the conversations are still going on.
02:26One thing you cannot get is experience that you have to do it yourself.
02:30And yeah, I think all of us are excited.
02:32If you look at the team, everybody is here.
02:34Siraj has played a lot of games.
02:35He's going to continue playing.
02:37And then whoever comes in or whatever happens later, it's a great experience.
02:40And it's an opportunity.
02:41That's the way we look at it.
02:42Yeah, dressing room is still nice and happy and very, very motivated.
03:04Like I said, we came here knowing what this opportunity meant for all of us.
03:08And even in the game today, we might have looked quiet at some stages, but I think we still had a plan.
03:14We wanted to do something and we went about doing it.
03:17And we got two wickets in a cluster twice.
03:19So that still kept the motivation going.
03:22And then, you know, as a bowling unit, when something's happening, we still ended up taking the new ball.
03:27They needed about 20 runs with the same hope of something's going to happen.
03:31So we are still there believing.
03:32We made sure till the last run is scored, we are still out there and making sure they work hard for it.
03:36Yeah, definitely.
03:51I had a few conversations with a few of them about what this game particularly went by.
03:57I definitely would want to bring that down to whatever best I can do.
04:00And, yeah, I think I'm learning as well.
04:02It's, well, like I can't say anything.
04:06It's up to me.
04:07It's my responsibility to get better.
04:10And that's what I'm trying.
04:11That's what I'm working on.
04:12And I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here and put up better numbers.
04:18Can you talk about how, you know, how we managed all of you, what were the complications, can you talk about a bit about his captaincy?
04:32And then the second part is, how frustrated you guys are, how much anger was there that you can't, you know, score the last three, four back bowlers who went there but not able to score.
04:43And the other team scored a lot of runs as far as their, you know, last seven, eight, nine, ten people.
04:48About Shubhman, yeah, I think he did a pretty good job.
04:53All of us saw how he rotated the bowlers, made sure everybody had enough breaks, brought in people at the right, right kind of spells.
04:59He saw opportunities and brought in the right kind of bowlers.
05:02All of that was great.
05:03And knowing him, he set a very good atmosphere around.
05:06He's been speaking to all of us.
05:08We always go in with a plan and the communication is happening there.
05:12And what was the next question?
05:13Yeah, as the lower order batsmen, we definitely are working on.
05:21If you look at our next session, we are putting in the work.
05:23I think it is about putting your mind in there as well, making sure you trust yourself, trust the skill that you have and be there at the crease for a little longer.
05:31And then the numbers in the runs are going to show and then we are working towards it.
05:36Yeah, I'm going to follow up on the run.
05:38So when you go about the run season, so what's your thinking like?
05:42So do you feel that maybe you feel pure, you have to sort of press it and then you get right to fall or you're going to attack?
05:49Or how do you think the balance would be?
05:51Yeah, every time I come out to bowl, I'm definitely looking to bowl a maiden.
05:54I'm not really trying to give away boundaries or anything.
05:57The outfield was fast.
05:59The length lines that I bowled was not perfect, to be honest, at most times.
06:04And they took me on.
06:06Some of them were edges.
06:06Some of them I tried bowling bouncers.
06:08I ended up giving runs.
06:09So I think somebody in the team had to do it.
06:11And if I sit back and say, I want to look at my numbers, what my economy is, and not really look at the wickets,
06:17it caught me a 4 and a 6 and then Jamie Smith got out.
06:21So if it means that I do that and get a wicket, I'm happy to do it.
06:24But definitely every time I come out to bowl, I am looking to keep the economy rate down and build the pressure up.
06:29You just mentioned about the slope and the challenge which you faced by adjusting from one part of the ground.
06:37So as an inexperienced bowler who hasn't played a lot of cricket in this part of the world,
06:41what is a fallback plan on?
06:43What do you do?
06:43Who are your support people in the dressing room?
06:45What kind of conversation did you have when you were kind of finding it difficult adjusting to the slope?
06:50If you could just talk about that because every venue you have, you have different sort of challenges, conditions.
06:56So how do you plan on, you know, countering those challenges?
06:59And what were the discussions like when you were struggling with the slope?
07:03We did practice as soon as we came here.
07:05We did a bit of bowling on the square.
07:07We did bowl from that end and this end.
07:09And Marnie being here with us is actually giving us all the experience that he's gone through.
07:13He's played a lot of cricket in England.
07:15So that definitely helps.
07:16But what happens when you get to the actual pitch, again, the ground, the surface is different.
07:21And then you have to adapt.
07:24And coming in to bowl the first spell, you're excited.
07:27You're trying to run in hard.
07:28The wind sometimes is on and off.
07:30So it's very important to understand what the pace of the run-up is.
07:33And I did have a chat with a couple of other guys as well, asking them what they did to, you know, be at the right pace when they're running in to bowl.
07:40So that's about it.
07:41I think the best that we can do is bowl on the square every time we get to the ground.
07:45Be a little more aware of what you can do, what way the wind is, and how balanced you can be at the point of delivery.
07:50The spell that you bowled from this end, where you probably troubled them more than you did in this match.
07:55Were there any learnings that you took in that stride because you looked in far better rhythm than you looked the entire game when you were bowling from this end?
08:03Yeah, I think it was something for me to take away.
08:06The first innings went by.
08:07I bowled a lot.
08:08I think I bowled most of my bowling overs from that side.
08:11And coming here, knowing it's the other way down, it's downward slope.
08:14So I did end up bowling a no-ball, and Booms was telling me about how you're actually overstepping, and the hardness of the ground just gives you more feedback.
08:21You're running faster and all of those things.
08:23So, yeah, the discussions are definitely always happening in the team, and we are trying to do the best that we can.
08:27Yeah, I think the rain, the drizzle definitely didn't help.
08:48Root came on to bat, the ball was moving around, and then there was drizzle all around.
08:52Every time the ball goes on the ground, the ball is becoming wet, and when the ball becomes wet,
08:56you know what's going to happen, it's going to get softer, the shine's not going to be around.
09:00So I think that did play a part, but I think all of that that I've heard playing in England is look up.
09:07If there's clouds, there is going to be swing.
09:09If there's sun, there's not going to be swing.
09:10So that's what we're looking to do, and make sure we bowl the right areas.
09:14Was there any challenge in gripping the ball?
09:17The gripping wouldn't say was a problem, it just got softer, and the moment it got softer,
09:25the seeming or softer, the amount of purchase you get from the pitch differs.
09:29So that's what happened.
09:30Final question.
09:32Karun, did you get another coffee before this game?
09:37I think it was great.
09:44It's always nice, right?
09:44I know all of these guys in the team are very good mates of mine, and we know them for a few years,
09:50but then when you look at Karun and KL, I know each other, I know both of them for quite
09:54a long time, end up having a lot of time together off cricket as well.
09:58So it was definitely nice to have the Bangalore boys around.
