From two different ends, it looked like there were two cricket games happening simultaneously, even if it seemed a little harsh.

Every ball was a spectacle from the moment Jasprit Bumrah began his walk-up, gradually increased his speed into a stutter, and then unleashed an explosion of energy on the bowling crease. The possibility of a wicket filled the air each time he let go of the small ball.

He made the ball perform heinous acts, such as bowling from such a wide angle over the stumps and angling it into the right-hander with such force that the ball couldn't do anything else but go down the legside. It didn't start to move away from the bat until it had a mind of its own, began straightening, and, oh horror, began to horrify. In violation of accepted standards and the laws of nature.

This was from one end, the drama compelling, each blink of the eye an invitation to miss out on something otherworldly, spectacularly special.

The release of pressure and stress could be felt from the opposite end, where Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were stationed. These are not novice bowlers – they couldn't be, not when they are representing their nation – but they are no Bumrah. When you get down to it, nobody is. However, India suffered from not being at their best in England's opening innings at Headingley.

There is a genuine reliance on Bumrah.

Bumrah lived up to his side of the bargain and then some. From 24.4 amazing overs that showcased all aspects of his talent, he scored five for 83. A wicket every 30.4 balls on a featherbed, three and a half runs over. Siraj and Prasidh attacked between them at 5.32 runs per over, taking a wicket every 56.4 balls. Give yourself a pat on the back if you used the phrase "stark contrast."

If it weren't for the no-ball with which Bumrah had "dismissed" Harry Brook for zero on the second evening and the three missed catches, he should have taken more than five wickets or, at the very least, taken those five wickets even sooner. Unconsciously, he had the crowd, the purists, the commentators, and everyone in both dressing rooms on the edge of their seats. People unknowingly held their breath. Despite their composure, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Brook experienced a pounding heartbeat and a dry mouth as they stood in the middle. What would this victor unleash?

The pressure was hardly noticeable, particularly with Prasidh and, to a lesser degree, Siraj. Two loose balls per over were not uncommon, and at least one was expected. There was no unyielding investigation or severe inspection. Wickets are occasionally brought about by subpar deliveries. The same result can be caused by the drying up of runs and relentless accuracy. With Bumrah's pace partners, however, that was not the case on Saturday and Sunday.

Is it cause for concern? Hold on. It just gets worse.

It is almost certain that Bumrah won't participate in every one of the five Tests on this trip. So what becomes of India? With a top seven in England that has cut off every negative bone in its collective body, how do they deal with Bazball? With the knowledge that Siraj and Prasidh, perhaps alongside Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, or Harshit Rana, are the only ones who can accomplish the difficult dual tasks of slowing down the rate of scoring and picking up wickets, how do they handle it? How could the absence of their main foe not lift England's spirits? And, barring a miracle, how can Shubman Gill, India's new Test captain, avoid having a long and never-ending summer?

The other fast bowlers, including his own teammates and some of the best in the opposing side, seem little more than average in comparison to Bumrah. That is one of his qualities. "I am only human, I make errors too," he stated Sunday night. Jasprit, we question. We truly do.

Despite the dazzling Bumrah swirling away, England's first innings still produced 4.61 runs in 100.4 overs. It would be a really fascinating, uplifting, exciting, scary, and sad idea if he wasn't there. Of course, you are aware of which adjectives belong in which group.

Except for Mohammed Shami, who is now unnecessary to India's plans due to serious doubts about his fitness, the majority of the remaining Indian pace attack is present in England. India hasn't left the next Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, or Kapil Dev at home. Siraj and Prasidh performed admirably in Bumrah's forced absence during the second innings of the Sydney Test in January. That was for half a game; in England, they have to do it for at least four. While the master kept an eye on things from the outside. When did the palpitations occur?

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