India's cricket team faced significant challenges during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, with their standout performer, Jasprit Bumrah, highlighting both their potential and their shortcomings. While Bumrah led the wicket count for the series, his performance was marred by the ineffective support from his teammates, particularly the third seamers.
Brett Lee, the former Australian fast bowler, expressed his concerns about India's bowling lineup, remarking, "The performance of the third seamer was ordinary for India. Both Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are averaging 50 with the ball and didn’t support Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Bumrah was unstoppable, and I think Siraj also bowled well for the Indians in the series." This clearly indicates where the team's strengths and weaknesses lay throughout the five Test matches.
Indeed, Bumrah's prowess was evident as he dominated against the Australian batsmen. With 32 wickets to his name, he surpassed Bishan Singh Bedi’s long-standing record for the most wickets taken by an Indian on Australian soil during a series. Unfortunately, Bumrah was also left nursing injuries, which cast doubt on his continued participation.
Isa Guha, the former England international, pointed out the absence of Mohammed Shami as another serious blow to India's bowling attack. "India felt the absence of Mohammed Shami. Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami didn’t give anything to the Australians..." she noted, emphasizing how Shami’s inclusion might have changed the dynamics of the series.
Former Indian wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta also felt the repercussions of team selection, noting, "India needed Kuldeep Yadav to remove the tailenders at the earliest. A wrist spinner provides security to the captain," which could have alleviated some pressure on India’s bowling strategy.
The team's struggles became apparent during the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), particularly when Bumrah had to leave the field due to back spasms. Adam Gilchrist remarked, "It's such a shame and the body language and lack of enthusiasm and voice from India since..." highlighting the uncertainty and concern surrounding the Indian camp after Bumrah’s exit. This pivotal moment shifted the momentum of the match, as the team lacked the energy and direction Bumrah typically provided.
India's bowling did rally momentarily to skittle the Australians for 181, which gave them a four-run lead heading to the second innings. Isa Guha remarked, "He was down on pace and then left the ground for scans. Immediately after, you could see uncertainty..." reflecting the palpable change within the team dynamics after Bumrah’s injury.
Without their captain on the field, Virat Kohli took the reins, but the atmosphere was markedly different. The team’s ability to execute strategies effectively diminished, leading them to struggle more than anticipated against the Australian lineup.
Now, with Bumrah's ability to return uncertain, the Indian team is left to pick up the pieces and think about what they could have done differently. Lee’s critique of the seamers highlights this point well, indicating one clear area of focus for improvements moving forward: continuing to develop depth within their bowling ranks.
Heading forward, India must leverage the experiences from this series to strengthen their lineup, particularly focusing on their bowling attack. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy hanging in the balance, their immediate goal will be to level the series and regain their footing after this challenging outing.