'Jonny Bairstow got pumped up after that'- Wasim Jaffer criticizes unnecessary sledging from Virat Kohli

England batter Jonny Bairstow dominated day three of the rescheduled fifth Test match against India with a brilliant century. His on-field clash with former Indian captain Virat Kohli was one of the most talkative topics of the day. Kohli tried to sledge Bairstow, who had scored just 13 runs off 61 balls, after the Englishman missed a shot on Mohammed Shami’s delivery. Both the players exchanged some words before the umpire’s intervention.

Bairstow then changed his approach and went for a biggie on the next ball, and nearly gave away his wicket. Kohli was spotted laughing at that miss believing in his impact on the player’s concentration. But Bairstow then played his usual attacking cricket and went on to score 106 runs off just 140 balls. Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer also agrees that Kohli’s sledging led Bairstow to score big. He also said that when you instigate someone, it backfires sometimes.

“Yes (on whether Kohli’s sledge pushed Bairstow), because before that he was batting very carefully. But when you instigate someone, it backfires sometimes. So maybe Bairstow got pumped up after that sledge,” Wasim Jaffer said in a ESPNcricinfo video.

It will not be right to underestimate India’s bowling attack: Wasim Jaffer

England put up a good total of 284 runs on the scoreboard after Bairstow’s impressive knock. But India still managed to gain a big 132-run lead, thanks to Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja’s century in their first innings. Then India managed their lead further to 257 runs at the end of day three with 125/3 on the scoreboard with Cheteshwar Pujara (50*) and Pant (30*) at the crease.

Pant scored 146 runs off just 111 balls in the first innings and his knock could prove to be the match-winning moment of this Test. But Jaffer denies that this match will be decided by Pant or Bairstow’s explosive knocks. He credits Indian bowlers to restrict England to just 284 runs and said it will not be right to underestimate their contribution in this match.

“No. Although both batted really well for their teams, it will not be right to underestimate India’s bowling attack. To restrict such a team to 284, Siraj, Bumrah, and [Mohammed] Shami have a huge hand in it,” Jaffer added.