As Jasprit Bumrah walked into the field at Chepauk on Friday, it was his first-ever Test match on home soil. 17 Tests and 79 wickets later, he finally got an opportunity to play the longest format in India.

Speaking to the media at the virtual press conference, the right-arm pacer spoke in detail about his motivation to bowl well and how saliva ban is affecting bowlers.

Test is the best format and my favourite too

Bumrah confessed that he likes the traditional format more than any other. He also asserted that representing the nation at the highest level was his biggest motivation.

"I keep telling myself if I don't bowl well, how can I pick wickets. There isn't a bigger motivation than playing for India, this is the best format and my favourite too. I accept all kinds of results having done my best. I keep getting better and taking advice from others to improve myself. For me, I don't need extra noise or something to push myself. It depends on individual to individual."

It was difficult as we couldn't shine the ball with saliva

On a flat Chepauk pitch, England batsmen made the Indian bowlers toil hard on the field. Bumrah remarked that the less bounce, as well as the saliva ban, didn’t leave them with many options.

“The ball did become soft after a while. The wickets too were on the flatter side and so the bounce was less. You are left with limited options trying to figure out what to do. It was difficult. We can’t shine it well with saliva because of the new rules. In India, the ball gets roughed up, and to get reverse swing, you have to make one side heavy."