India’s star bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been the standout performer in the ongoing Test series against Australia. At 31 years old, Bumrah has taken on the massive responsibility of leading the bowling attack and says he has no problem managing the workload.
In the five-match series, Bumrah has been the leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets from just five innings, even with minimal support from his fellow bowlers.
During the third Test in Brisbane, Bumrah delivered another remarkable performance, picking up 6-76 in Australia’s first innings. Despite his brilliance, the Australian batters, particularly Travis Head and Steve Smith, targeted other bowlers and built a strong total of 445 runs.
Bumrah took five of Australia’s top six wickets, while his pace teammates Mohammed Siraj (2-97) and Akash Deep (1-95) struggled to make a significant impact.
After the rain-affected third day ended with India at 51-4, Bumrah reflected on the team’s situation, saying, “We don’t want to blame each other. As a bowling unit, we are in a transition phase. It’s my job to support the others. I’ve played more games, so I’m trying to help them.”
Ranked as the world’s number one Test bowler, Bumrah takes pride in mentoring young bowlers like Akash Deep and seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“I don’t see it as doing extra work,” he explained. “We have many new players in the team, and it’s important to give them the space to grow and learn. When we toured here last time, we had a more experienced team, but this is a natural process for any side. Experience and skills come with time and effort.”
India’s batting lineup will now have to rise to the challenge on Day 4, with KL Rahul (33) and captain Rohit Sharma, yet to score, leading the effort to save the match and prevent Australia from taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
Speaking about their strategy, Bumrah shared, “The plan is to bat as long as we can. Building strong partnerships is the key. The rain interruptions were frustrating, but we have to focus on what we can control.”
Bumrah’s calm leadership and remarkable performances underline his value to the Indian cricket team, as he continues to inspire the next generation of players while handling the immense pressure of leading the bowling attack.
