How invincible Jasprit Bumrah was let down colossal batting failures and dubious selections | Cricket News
Heaping praise on Jasprit Bumrah during the Melbourne Test, Adam Gilchr said: “It is just a different ball game, a different planet, that Bumrah is playing on compared to everyone else.” The praise that he received from Gilchr, as well as several other former Australian cricketers— comparing him to the West Indies greats of the past too as he crossed 200 wickets at an average of less than 20 – was richly deserved.
On Sunday, India lost the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney with Bumrah unable to take the field. His body was put through a lot, especially on Day 4 in Melbourne when he toiled. Eventually, his 32 wickets in the series (the most an Indian bowler in Australia) ended up in a 1-3 defeat, thanks largely to insipid batting performances and questionable selection calls.
Not that Australia’s batters were much better (because of course they had to face Bumrah) but India’s inconsency across the lineup was more glaring. Australia’s top order (No 1 to 7) averaged 28.79 compared to India’s 24.67. The big difference was the hosts’ four centuries and eight fifties here compared to two centuries and 6 fifties for India – more match-winning knocks. For positions 9 to 11, Australia averaged 15 compared to India’s 9.64.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah appeals successfully for the wicket of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne during play on the second day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Yashasvi Jaiswal was India’s best batter in the series, with 391 runs at 43.44, and can leave Australia with his head held high. KL Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy were decent in patches, and Rishabh Pant dazzled in his last act. But overall, the batters were guilty of repeating makes, losing initiative due to unforced errors (those 20 minutes in Melbourne), and repeatedly throwing wickets away towards the end of sessions.
The big two were poor. Rohit Sharma sat out in Sydney after averaging 6.20 in 5 innings, and Virat Kohli was dismissed edging behind 8 times (out of 9 innings) in the series, a recurrence of oldest flaw. Apart from a century in Perth in favourable conditions, Kohli cut a shadow of the batter who used to dominate in Australia.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Mitchell Marsh during play on the first day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
The tactical moves went awry. After Rahul and Jaiswal started well in Perth, Rohit slotted in the middle order and failed. Despite not being in form, decided to open the batting in Melbourne and struggled. Questions must also be asked for picking two spinners and a pace bowling allrounder on what was unanimously considered the greenest pitch seen at SCG in years. Either a special pacer or a batter would have worked but India took the middle road and paid the price as neither spinner was utilised despite Bumrah’s injury.
In the end, Australia wrestled back the trophy they were desperate to get their hands on, after eight years, not because they were at their invincible best (although how good was their bowling unit!) but because they made fewer errors. That must hurt India.
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