Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, has come out in strong support of Mohammed Siraj, despite the latter’s fluctuating form during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Siraj has been under the scanner for not being able to replicate his heroics from the 2020-21 series, where he played a pivotal role in securing India’s memorable series win Down Under. He has been blowing hot and cold which has put extra pressure on Bumrah to pick regular wickets.
During the Perth and Adelaide Test followed by the first innings of the Brisbane Test, Siraj faced challenges in finding the correct length to make the most of the pitch conditions. His struggle was compounded by a hamstring injury scare on Day 2 at the Gabba, which saw him off the field for nearly a session. However, his resilience shone through as he returned to bowl 23.2 overs, securing two wickets.
“In this game, I will give him credit. He had a little bit of a niggle, but he still kept on bowling and helped the team. He knew if he went inside and didn’t bowl (again), the team would be under pressure. He has got a great attitude and a fighter’s spirit that the team loves. I personally love that as well,” Bumrah said of Siraj. His comments underscore the value placed on Siraj’s tenacity and commitment to the team, even under physical duress.
Despite Bumrah’s stellar performance, taking six wickets in the first innings, the Australian side managed to score a formidable 445. Siraj has also been a talk among cricket fans for his heated verbal battle with Travis Head, in Adelaide. Bumrah highlighted Siraj’s fighting spirit, noting, “He is always up for a fight and gives it his all for the team. That’s the biggest positive for any cricketer. Even when he wasn’t 100 per cent, he kept fighting for the team. That’s a great attitude.”
Bumrah also touched on the nature of cricket, where performance metrics like wickets can be misleading. “In terms of wickets, and all, some days, you will bowl well, and wickets might not come. Some days, you will not bowl very well, but the wickets will follow. It’s all money in the bank,” he explained, suggesting a broader perspective on performance and contribution to the team.
Bumrah’s supportive words extend beyond Siraj’s individual performance to the broader context of the team’s bowling strategy and the ongoing transition within the squad. With the likes of Akash Deep, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna very young in the Test circuit, Bumrah said: “We don’t, as a team, point fingers at each other. We don’t want to tell each other, ‘You should do this, and you should do that.’ We, as a team, are going through a transition where new players are coming in,” he said, acknowledging the unique challenges of playing cricket in Australia.
The workload on Bumrah has been significant, with him leading the attack in the absence of Mohammed Shami. He has bowled 82 overs, the highest in the series so far, while Siraj has bowled 76.1 overs. The support from the spin department has been less than ideal, but contributions from fast-bowling all-rounder Nitish Reddy have been notable.
Rain gods saved India’s blushes on Day 3 in Brisbane after the visitors found themselves reeling at 4/51. With more rain predicted on Day 4 and 5, India, if they bat well, can end up drawing the third of the five-Test rubber.