Jasprit Bumrah stunned the cricketing world with the bat, smashing 35 off Stuart Broad in one Test over
It was meant to be another day of Bazball versus India's experience. But before the final result took shape, before Jonny Bairstow's onslaught and Root's wristy wizardry, something wild happened. In a rare twist, Jasprit Bumrah — the fast bowler with a famously awkward batting stance — morphed into a lower-order marauder.
Stuart Broad found himself on the receiving end. One over. Thirty-five runs. A moment frozen in time — for both the right and wrong reasons.
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England had India on the ropes at 375 for 9 during the first innings of the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston in July 2022. With Ravindra Jadeja back in the pavilion after a superb century and only one wicket left, England must have hoped to wrap things up quickly.
But then came an unexpected twist.
Broad charged in, perhaps sensing an easy finish. Instead, he ran into a whirlwind. Bumrah smacked four boundaries and two sixes in a single over. The over also included a no-ball and five wides, culminating in a grand total of 35 runs — the most expensive over in the history of Test cricket.
For context, this record eclipsed the long-standing 28-run record previously held by greats like Brian Lara and George Bailey. Stuart Broad, who previously held the record for the most expensive over in T20Is (36 runs by Yuvraj Singh in 2007), now had yet another unwanted feather in his cap.
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India eventually posted 416 in their first innings. Pant had scored a blistering 146, and Jadeja contributed a composed 104, but Bumrah's 31* off just 16 balls—almost entirely made in that one over—helped India achieve a match-winning total at the time.
From 375 for 9 to 416 all out, India had clawed back some momentum. England's bowlers were rattled. The Indian dressing room erupted in laughter and disbelief as they bundled England down for 284 and had a 132-run first innings lead.
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Regrettably, the match did not conclude on a joyful note for India. Even with that explosive cameo and a substantial lead, India couldn't withstand England's counterattack in the second innings.
In response to India's 245, Jonny Bairstow (106 and 114*) and Joe Root (142*) led a fierce assault as England chased down 378 — their highest-ever successful run chase in Test cricket — to secure victory by seven wickets.
India's bowlers, particularly Siraj and Thakur, struggled to match England's pressure. The pitch remained flat, the ball softened, and the batters capitalised fully.
Bairstow polished off his hundred with flair. Root reverse-lapped Shardul Thakur for six, leading England to the target in just 76.4 overs. Bumrah's heroics with the bat became a mere footnote.
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Even though India lost that match, Bumrah's blitzkrieg stood out like a monument in a foggy field. The odds are stacked high as India returns to England this June under new captain Shubman Gill.
The old guard is gone — no Kohli, Rohit, or Ashwin. Yet memories like Bumrah's 35-run over remind us that in Test cricket, chaos and magic are just one over away.
