Lord's Test: 'Anderson's refusal to accept Bumrah's apology fired up team,' says Sridhar

James Anderson and Jasprit Burmah. Pics/PTI, AFP

India's fielding coach R Sridhar has said that England pace bowler James Anderson's refusal to accept an apology from Indian pace bowler Jasprit Burmah after the end of Day 3 of the second Test motivated Indian players which eventually showed during the fifth day's play.

"Bumrah is a competitive fast bowler but wouldn't want to intentionally hurt anyone," said Sridhar during a chat on R Ashwin's Youtube channel.

"Bumrah bowled 8-10 balls. Yorkers, bouncers. Anderson was uncomfortable but somehow didn't get out… There was an unwritten rule among fast bowlers' club previously. You shall not bowl bouncers. Bowl full ones and get the other out. It was an understanding. Now that club is gone," added Sridhar while talking about the over of short-pitched deliveries that Bumrah bowled to Anderson at the fag end of the third day's play.

India had won the second Test at Lord's by 151 runs following an unbeaten 89-run ninth-wicket partnership between Bumrah (34 not out) and Mohammed Shami (56 not out). India bowled out England for 120 inside two sessions.

Sridhar added that Bumrah went and apologised to Anderson, who brushed him aside. "After the innings, the boys were walking back to the dressing room. Bumrah walked past Jimmy and patted at him, so as to tell him that it wasn't intentional. Bumrah had gone to talk to him and end the matter, but Jimmy brushed him aside," added Sridhar.

"That got the team together. Not that the team wasn't together before. It sparked/ignited a fire in everyone. The effect of that was visible on day 5," explained Sridhar.

Ashwin, who is also part of the squad but hasn't played a single Test so far, said, "What happened was that they ran fast and bowled fast to hit us and they lost the game there."

The 51-year-old former first-class player, who had represented Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy recalled what coach Ravi Shastri had told him on the fifth day.

"He said: 'If we can give them target or 180, we can get them under pressure," added Sridhar.

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