The flexible stump on the right in the yellow set arched back on the impact of the white cricket ball before returning to position. Jasprit Bumrah had knocked it with his first delivery on the practice pitch adjacent to the main strip at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here.

Prior to bowling, Bumrah jogged around the park once with Sanju Samson. After warm-up drills Friday was four months and a day since he last played for India before being forced off by a back injury Bumrah participated in catching practice with players who had fetched up for the evening’s two-hour optional training session. He left with the rest Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav were among those who were not present some of them taking to the batting nets outside the main stadium under a security blanket that had a heavy presence of Rapid Action Force personnel.

Bumrah returned to the stadium and used a tape to mark his run-up. Broken into three parts, the run-up had a brisk 10-step walk followed by a trot and finally a gallop to the wicket. Holding the ball, his left hand would jut out first followed by the right covering it. Then the familiar sight of Bumrah gathering pace, arms locked in front would unfold before they would rise like that of a clock approaching three.

Loading up, the first delivery was on good length which hit the top of the stumps. A marker was kept on the blockhole but Bumrah started by trying to get the ball to rise at pace. He also worked on what Australia batsman Glenn Maxwell described as the ‘low sort of bouncer’. Settling into rhythm, the steps increased in the walk and Bumrah hit the blockhole marker once. He got another ball to skid into the stumps.

Fifteen minutes into his drill, Bumrah left the wicket set upturned. He did that with two successive deliveries, the second with a yorker. Before bowling at one stump 30 minutes into the session, Bumrah also practiced slow yorkers. After almost every delivery, Bumrah spoke to Arun.