Sunil Gavaskar has said that Jasprit Bumrah should be playing the entire series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s star with the ball in the series so far as he was Player of The Match in the Perth win. The pacer picked up another 4 wickets during the pink-ball Test despite the loss.
So far, Jasprit Bumrah has picked up 12 wickets and is leading the list for the series at an average of 11.25. The pacer has also picked up more than 50 wickets in Tests in 2024. There was a slight scare about his fitness during the Adelaide Test when Jasprit Bumrah had gone down with a bout of cramps. Jasprit Bumrah has been a vital member of the Indian team, but he faced an injury scare during his spell on Day 2 of the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Jasprit Bumrah faces injury scare at Adelaide.
Before the Test series against Australia started, it was known that Jasprit Bumrah would need to be on top of his game for India to win. In Perth, Jasprit Bumrah put his best foot forward. He did not give Australian batters much breathing space as India secured a 295-run win. Jasprit Bumrah also became the first visiting captain to win a Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
But Jasprit Bumrah was on the firing line to some extent. In the absence of Mohammed Shami, he had to carry a chunk of the workload. With the likes of Harshit Rana and Akash Deep not having enough experience at the international level, it was always going to be Jasprit Bumrah who had to take additional responsibilities and fill in for the inexperience of the rest of the pace attack.
In Adelaide, Jasprit Bumrah again stepped up, picking up four wickets, including that of Steve Smith, one of the best in the business. But the pacer felt the heat to some extent on Day 2. Not because of his bowling, but for the strain his body has had to take over the last two weeks.
In the 81st over of the Australian innings, after India opted for the second new ball, Jasprit Bumrah faced a minor injury scare. The speedster looked in some sort of discomfort while bowling his 20th over. Ravi Shastri, India’s former head coach, said that Jasprit Bumrah was holding his adductor muscle. Soon after, Jasprit Bumrah was up on his feet having received treatment from the physio.
Although Jasprit Bumrah resumed bowling, the question remains, can he carry on with the same workload throughout the series Even for a fast bowler of Bumrah’s calibre, it can be challenging to say the least. The extra workload was pretty evident when he bowled 11 out of 33 overs on Day 1 at the Adelaide Oval.
Jasprit Bumrah, desperately, needs someone to share his workload and give him a breather. Here’s where India are faced with a conundrum regarding the prospects of bringing in Shami.
However, whether Bumrah plays all the remaining Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, only time will tell. Former Indian batter now commentator Sunil Gavaskar said that Jasprit Bumrah needs to be available for the remaining matches as he is the best-performing Indian bowler.
Sunil Gavaskar on Jasprit Bumrah’s participation for rest of BGT 2024-25
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar called on ace pacer Bumrah to play the remaining three Tests of the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy unless injured. His remarks came after India suffered a massive 10-wicket defeat in the second Test in Adelaide.
During the first innings of the contest, Bumrah was down with a minor issue, resulting in speculation of a possible injury. The 31-year-old bowled 33 overs in India’s first innings with the ball after going full throttle in their first Test win at Perth.
Speaking to India post-game, Gavaskar said about Bumrah’s participation for the rest of the series:
“I would like him to play all 5 Test matches. You’re playing for India, there is no question about workload and stuff like that. He has to play all 5 Test matches unless he is injured. This match finished in 2 and a half days. This hasn’t gone for 5 days. So the man gets 5 days of break.”
He added:
“If he has a problem or an injury, then yes. But if he doesn’t have an injury. You have been giving 4-over, 5-over spells. That is perfect. That’s the way to go, unless you have taken a wicket or two. If you take a wicket in your 5th over, give him a 6th one.”
Jasprit Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker after two Tests with 12 wickets at an average of 11.25, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Perth outing. He also captained the side in their memorable 295-run first Test win in Rohit Sharma’s absence.
“He is your battering ram” – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar claimed India’s chances of bowling Australia out twice reduces drastically should Jasprit Bumrah miss any time in the rest of the five-Test series.
The champion pacer was at his devastating best even in India’s sub-par first-innings bowling performance in the second Test with figures of 4/61.
“He is your battering ram. If you’re not going to play him in all 5 matches, you reduce your chance of taking 20 Australian wickets. How he is used is up to the captain. He has to be used in such a way that he is effective each time he comes to bowl,” said Gavaskar.
With the series level at 1-1, Team India will hope Jasprit Bumrah has no injury concerns heading into the all-important third Test in Brisbane, starting on December 14.