Positive signs from Bumrah in comeback match

IRE v IND, First T20I, Scorecard

Before the match, Bumrah last featured for India almost a year back in a bilateral T20I series at home against Australia. A back injury would rule him out from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, with the pacer undergoing surgery and beginning a prolonged rehabilitation process.

Captaining the young Indian side against Ireland in Malahide on his comeback, Bumrah won the toss and opted to field. And he would have a perfect start, bowling a brilliant first over.

After conceding a boundary with his first delivery, Bumrah would get the second ball to sharply move in, getting an inside edge off Andy Balbirnie's bat that would knock the stumps over. The over would only get better as he scalped the wicket of Lorcan Tucker, who failed in his execution of a ramp shot. Apart from the two wickets, Bumrah would also nail a yorker in the fourth delivery of the over.

Bumrah would return back into the attack in the 16th over, conceding 13 runs. His final over would be in the 19th, where he would concede only 1 run. He ended with figures of 2/24 in what was a big positive for the Indian team, as their pace spearhead built some much-needed fitness in the build-up to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in October and November.

The other bowlers also delivered, as India restricted Ireland to 139/7. At one point, it was looking gloomy for the hosts but brilliant knocks from Curtis Campher (39) and Barry McCarthy (51*) propelled them to a competitive score.

"When you are captaining, you are not thinking about yourself, you are thinking about others," Bumrah said after the game.

"Probably that sometimes works in your favour that you are looking after everyone and your performance takes care of itself."

In return, India would have a solid start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad looking assured. But Ireland would fight back, as Craig Young dismissed Jaiswal and Tilak Varma in back-to-back deliveries.

The rain started pouring at the 6.5 over mark, with India's score at 47/2, two runs ahead of the DLS par score. It would not relent, as India sealed a win and took a 1-0 series lead.