India’s dependence on Bumrah was evident throughout the series. Bumrah was the standout player, delivering an impressive 32 wickets in five matches.
India’s attacking pace faltered once again, highlighted by their struggles without Jasprit Bumrah, as they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 and were officially eliminated from the final race of the World Test Championship. South Africa and Australia have already secured their places in the final.
Reflecting on the fifth Test, Bumrah’s absence was a deciding factor. The pacer suffered a back spasm during the first innings and did not return to the field afterwards.
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Although he came out to bat in India’s second innings, he was not available to bowl in the second innings, leaving Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to handle the bowling responsibilities.
Australia, chasing a modest target of 161, got off to a spectacular start, smashing 39 runs in the first over off Siraj and Krishna, effectively taking the game away from India.
India’s dependence on Bumrah was evident throughout the series. Bumrah was the standout player, delivering an impressive 32 wickets in five matches.
In contrast, the rest of India’s pacers struggled to make an impact, leaving the bowling attack vulnerable in their absence.
What will India’s ideal pace attack look like for the future?
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the 2023-25 WTC cycle 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 new beginning 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 to challenge strong opposition, highlighting the urgent need for others to step up and share the load.
India’s ideal attacking pace for the future
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India tried six fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akashdeep, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
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Among them, Bumrah stood out as the only one who performed consistently, while the rest struggled to make a significant impact.
With Mohammad Shami out of the series due to injury and approaching the latter stages of his career, India’s pace attack is set for a transition as they look to the future.
For the upcoming challenges, India’s ideal pace attack seems 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 team. While Prasidh Krishna performed decently in the fifth Test, he seems unlikely to be a long-term part of the setup given the competition and other emerging options.
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