India’s reliance on Bumrah was evident throughout the series. Bumrah had been the standout performer, delivering a stunning 32 wickets in 5 matches.
India’s pace attack faltered once again, highlighting their struggles without Jasprit Bumrah, as they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 and were officially knocked out of the World Test Championship Final race. South Africa and Australia have now secured their spots in the final.
Reflecting on the 5th Test, Bumrah’s absence was a decisive factor. The ace pacer suffered a back spasm during the first innings and did not return to the field afterward.
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Although he came out to bat in India’s second innings, he was unavailable to bowl in the second innings, leaving Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to shoulder the bowling responsibilities.
Australia, chasing a modest target of 161, made a blistering start, smashing 39 runs in the first over off Siraj and Krishna, effectively taking the game away from India.
India’s reliance on Bumrah was evident throughout the series. Bumrah had been the standout performer, delivering a stunning 32 wickets in 5 matches.
In contrast, the rest of India’s pacers struggled to make an impact, leaving the bowling attack vulnerable in his absence.
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the WTC 2023-25 cycle now concluded, India’s focus shifts to building a strong pace attack for the future.
The next Test series for India will take place in June, when they travel to England to begin the new WTC cycle. This marks a fresh start and an opportunity to rethink and strengthen their bowling unit.
India relied heavily on Jasprit Bumrah throughout the series, as he was their best bowler by a significant margin. His exceptional performances kept the team in contention, but in his absence, the bowling attack struggled to make an impact.
The lack of consistent support from the rest of the pacers was evident, and the team’s over-reliance on Bumrah exposed the gaps in their pace arsenal. Without Bumrah, India’s bowling lacked the sharpness needed to challenge strong opposition, highlighting the urgent need for others to step up and share the load.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India tested six fast bowlers—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akashdeep, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Among them, Bumrah stood out as the only consistent performer, while the rest struggled to make a significant impact.
With Mohammad Shami missing the series due to injury and nearing the latter stages of his career, India’s pace attack is set for a transition as they look toward the future.
For the upcoming challenges, India’s ideal pace attack appears to be built around Bumrah as the leader, with Siraj providing solid support as the second pacer. Akashdeep and Harshit Rana, despite their struggles, have shown potential and could play key roles with more experience. 4
Nitish Kumar Reddy also fits the bill as a promising fifth pacer, offering depth to the squad. While Prasidh Krishna performed decently in the fifth Test, it seems unlikely he will be a long-term part of the setup given the competition and other emerging options.
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