Stuart Broad delivered the most expensive over in Test history as stand-in India captain Jasprit Bumrah starred with bat and ball at Edgbaston.
Broad had just celebrated becoming the sixth bowler ever to take 550 wickets in the format when his fortunes faded dramatically, clubbed for a record 35 as he went into meltdown against the tailender.
Bumrah’s efforts helped the tourists to 416 all out before he got back to his day job, taking each of the wickets as England crumbled to 60 for three between rain breaks.
Broad’s six legal deliveries were pummelled for 23, including four fours and a six, with the 36-year-old seamer also serving up a wide that raced away for four and a no-ball that Bumrah top-edged for another 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 off Anderson’s next over 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 the captain 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 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 upper-cut 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 nadir 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 Alex Lees’ bat and pad to underline India’s strong position.
Play resumed at 1.15pm and it took Bumrah just five minutes to double his haul, with out-of-form opener Crawley falling in familiar, frustrating fashion. He had just nine to his name when he indulged his weakness for a drive, nicking through to Shubman Gill to record his 23rd single-figure score in 45 Test innings.
Once again rain prevented Bumrah and Shami building some momentum but the delays allowed them to stay fresh and their third mini-session in the afternoon saw Ollie Pope add to the list of top-order failures.
Like Crawley, Pope likes to feel bat on ball at the start of his innings but when he pushed at a delivery a foot outside off stump and squirted a catch to third slip it was a costly error of judgement.
Joe Root was still in place on 19 not out, with the ebullient Jonny Bairstow newly arrived as he looked to cash in on his superb recent form.
