It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Jasprit Bumrah was among the unluckiest bowlers across Day 2 and Day 3 of the Headingley Test between England and India. Despite delivering a sensational spell, the Indian pace spearhead saw multiple opportunities slip away—literally—due to fielding errors. From clear dropped chances to moments where the fielders didn’t even attempt a catch, Bumrah was repeatedly denied rewards for his efforts with the ball.

Jasprit Bumrah delivers a five-for despite fielding lapses

Still, Bumrah’s brilliance stood tall. Even with four dropped chances off his bowling—three during England’s first innings on Day 2 and one more on Day 3—the Indian pace spearhead managed to claim a five-wicket haul on a challenging Headingley surface. His disciplined bowling helped India dismiss England for 465, before the visitors came out to bat again.

Would this leave most fast bowlers frustrated? Absolutely—but Bumrah showed once again why he’s cut from a different cloth. Addressing the media after Day 3, with India on 90/2 and leading by 96 runs, Bumrah opened up on the missed opportunities. Rather than displaying anger, he offered a mature and composed perspective on the lapses in the field.

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Bumrah reacts on the dropped chances off his bowling

Bumrah admitted that the dropped catches did bother him momentarily, but he emphasized the importance of not dwelling on such setbacks. His approach is rooted in mental discipline—choosing to stay focused on the game rather than letting frustration take over. By saying ‘you can’t really sit down and cry,’ he conveys a practical mindset, understanding that in professional sport, things won’t always go your way. He also showed empathy toward his teammates, noting that many of them are still relatively new to the international stage, and mistakes are part of the learning curve. This reflects his maturity and leadership in the team setup.

“Yeah, just for a second. But you understand that you can’t really sit down and cry, isn’t it? You have to move forward with the game. So, what I look to do is not to take it too far in my head and try and quickly forget it because all of them are also new to the game,” said Bumrah in the post-day presser.

Bumrah showed further understanding and patience by acknowledging the difficulty of taking catches in challenging conditions. He pointed out that no one deliberately drops a catch and that every fielder is putting in their best effort. Rather than reacting with visible frustration—like shouting or kicking objects—he chooses to remain calm, avoiding any behavior that could add pressure on the fielders.

“Sometimes the ball is difficult to sight and nobody is dropping the catch purposely. Everybody is trying really hard. It does happen. So, I don’t want to create a scene or put more pressure on the fielder that I’m angry, I’m kicking the box or I’m doing something. It’s okay. It’s part and parcel of the game. Obviously, if it [catches] would have been taken earlier, that’s good, but people will learn from this experience,” added Bumrah.

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