‘Back at Newlands…’: Jasprit Bumrah shares emotional post ahead of 2nd Test against South Africa

As India looks set to face off against South Africa in the second and final Test match of the series in Cape Town today, star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took time to reflect on his journey. Galvanized by his impending return to Newlands, the venue of his debut Test match against the Proteas in January 2018, Bumrah expressed his feelings in an emotional Instagram post. His Instagram post read, “Back at Newlands, 5 years after my Test debut here. A lot of memories, a lot of gratitude,” along with a video showcasing his journey with the Indian cricket team.

This heartwarming post by Bumrah created a buzz among fans and teammate Suryakumar Yadav even predicted Bumrah would take five wickets in the upcoming Cape Town Test, expressing this in his comment.

Bumrah has had a commendable Test career since his debut in 2018, bagging 132 wickets in 31 matches, and becoming an integral part of Team India due to his exceptional bowling skills. His effectiveness shone through in the first Test against South Africa, where he ousted four South Africa players, emerging as India’s top wicket taker.

However, his stellar performance could not save Team India from defeat in the first Test. The Indian batting faltered against a formidable South African pace attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Gerald Coetzee, with the visitors crumbling to 245 in the first innings. The second innings was no better with the batting line-up crashed out for 131, notwithstanding Virat Kohli's brave knock of 76. The result was a loss by an innings and 32 runs, which crushed India's hopes of a first-ever Test series victory on South African soil.