jasprit bumrah, of India stand-in captain for his fifth and decisive Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, broke his silence on the back injury that sidelined him during Australiatense pursuit of 162.
Bumrah, who took over the role of captain after being the regular skipper Rohit Sharma excelled, was named Player of the Series for his outstanding performance, claiming 32 wickets to emerge as the leading wicket-taker of the series.
Jasprit Bumrah reflects on his hi injury and India’s devastating loss
Speaking to Isa Guha, despite his personal success, Bumrah expressed his disappointment at missing out on what he described as “The spiciest cabinet in the series” The injury, which struck on Day 2 of the Test, saw Bumrah rushed to hospital for scans after experiencing significant discomfort during his second spell. Although he bravely walked out to bat on Day 3, he could only manage a three-ball duck before being dismissed from bowling duties in Australia’s second innings. In his absence, India’s bowlers fought valiantly but ultimately fell short, allowing Australia to achieve a dominant six-wicket win.
“A bit disappointing but sometimes you have to respect your body, you can’t fight your body. Disappointing, I probably lost the spiciest wicket of the series. I felt a bit of discomfort during my second spell in the first innings.” Bumrah admitted during the post-match presentation.
Bumrah’s thoughts on Team India’s run in the series
Reflecting on the series, Bumrah praised the younger players for their resilience and the valuable lessons they would learn. Bumrah emphasized the importance of learning from such experiences, especially for newcomers to international cricket.
“Well, a lot of ifs and buts, because the whole series was fought well, and today we were in the game. it wasn’t like she was completely one-sided. That’s how Test cricket goes. in the nervy moments, whichever team holds their nerve longer and hangs on and tries to find a way out of it will win the series. I think it was a very competitive series, a lot of knowledge for us and experience that our players have gained coming here for the first time. Being in the game for longer, creating pressure, sometimes absorbing pressure when the wickets are tough, sometimes playing according to the situation.” concluded Bumrah.
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Scoot Boland’s brilliance and Australia’s redemption
Prasidh Krishnaplaying his first Test on the tour, he made an immediate impact in Bumrah’s absence. His fiery spell on Day 3 helped India overcome Australia’s lower order, securing a slim lead of four runs in the first innings. Krishna, along with Mohammed Siraj, shared the responsibility in the second innings, with the pair claiming four wickets to keep India in the hunt. However, critical hits from Usman Khawaja (41), Travis Head (34 not out) and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) led Australia to a hard-fought win.
Earlier, India’s batting collapse on Day 3 proved costly as they added just 16 runs to the overnight score, being bowled out for 157 in the first session. The irresistible Scott Boland he was the architect of India’s collapse, finishing with 6/45 and 10 wickets. His relentless accuracy and pace exposed India’s weaknesses, setting the stage for Australia’s chase of 162.
While Krishna offered India hope with three quick wickets including a dismissal Steve SmithAustralia’s middle class has remained stable. Head and Webster ensured no further hiccups, guiding Australia to a memorable victory that underlined the fine margins of the series. For India, it was a painful reminder of how small moments can decide the fate of a match and, ultimately, a series.
