Stuart Broad delivered the most expensive over in Test history, conceding 35 as India continued their swashbuckling start against England at Edgbaston.
India were all out for an exhilarating 416 and left England 16 for one in reply when captain Jasprit Bumrah, who inflicted the record-breaking damage on Broad, cleaned up Alex Lees with the last ball before rain stopped play.
Broad had only just become the sixth bowler ever to take 550 wickets in the format when his fortunes faded dramatically, comprehensively and unexpectedly losing his head to head with tailender Bumrah.
Bumrah was in at number 10 against the second new ball, but took Broad apart over the course of eight remarkable deliveries.
The six legal balls were pummelled for 23, including four fours and a six. The 36-year-old seamer also serving up a wide that went all the way for four and a no-ball that Bumrah top-edged for six.
Things could have been even worse had another high full-toss been called, but umpire Aleem Dar spared Broad the additional pain. The previous record of 28 had been achieved on three occasions, with Broad’s team-mates James Anderson and Joe Root bowling two of the overs in the question.
Broad did not get a chance to make amends with the ball, catching last man Mohammed Siraj to end the India innings.
The tourists had resumed on 338 for seven, piling on 78 runs in just 11.5 overs as England made a mess of their bowling plans in the morning session. Ben Stokes set the tone with a ragged first spell, with Ravindra Jadeja happily taking on the short ball served up by him and Matthew Potts as he converted his overnight 83 into a third Test century.
Potts could have had him on 92 but a thick edge off the shoulder of the bat sailed between the dives of Zak Crawley and Joe Root in the slips. The next ball was planted through the covers to give Jadeja a hard-earned hundred having played second fiddle to Rishabh Pant on day one.
Broad had got England going when Mohammed Shami uppercut him straight to the waiting Jack Leach, celebrating a landmark achievement that was about to be overshadowed.
Anderson returned with the new ball, taking out Jadeja’s middle stump as he swung and missed on 104, and wrapped up figures of five for 60 immediately after Broad’s meltdown when Siraj holed out.
Just three overs of the reply were possible before the weather turned, but Bumrah snuck the last ball before the break between Lees’ bat and pad to underline India’s strong position.
