Jasprit Bumrah on Sunday became the third Indian bowler after Harbhajan Singh (2001 against Australia) and Irfan Pathan (2006 against Pakistan) to bag a hat-trick in Test cricket.
Bumrah achieved the feat in the second Test against the West Indies. In the ninth over, the pacer dismissed Darren Bravo (4), Shamarh Brooks (0) and Roston Chase (0) off consecutive deliveries on Day 2.
Bumrah had started the innings with the wicket of opener John Campbell (2) in the seventh over. In his next over, the 25-year-old started with a wide outswinger that Bravo left alone. The next was a length delivery that was pitched on middle stump swinging away. Bravo was forced to play and got a high edge that flew to KL Rahul at second slip, who did well to take the low catch.
After this, Shamarh Brooks was caught dead in front of the stumps with an inswinger. Brooks reviewed the decision but replays adjudged him out.
Chase then took a full swinger low on his pads. The umpire turned down the LBW appeal from the Indian players but captain Virat Kohli went for the review. Interestingly, none of his teammates were too enthusiastic about taking the decision upstairs but replays showed that Kohli was right in going for it. The ball was hitting leg stump and the umpire had to reverse his decision. And eventually, Bumrah had three wickets in three balls.
The pace spearhead ended Day 2 with the figures of 6 for 16 producing a lethal opening spell and rattling the West Indies by picking up the first five wickets, three of which came in successive balls in the ninth over to leave West Indies tottering at 87 for seven at stumps.
Brief Scores:
India 1st Innings: 416 all out in 140.1 overs (Hanuma Vihari 111, Virat Kohli 76; Jason Holder 5/77, Rahkeem Cornwall 3/105).
West Indies 1st innings: 87 for 7 in 33 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 34; Jasprit Bumrah 6/16)
(With inputs from IANS)