NEW DELHI: India skipper Rohit Sharma voiced concerns over Jasprit Bumrah‘s heavy workload and lack of bowling support following India’s 184-run defeat in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, delivered a masterclass with match figures of 9-156, including a five-wicket haul in the third innings, taking his series tally to 30 wickets. His exceptional performance also saw him become the fastest Indian pacer to 200 Test wickets and the first bowler in history to maintain a sub-20 average among bowlers with 200 or more Test scalps.
However, Bumrah’s herculean efforts were not enough to secure victory, as Rohit highlighted the physical toll on the pacer and the absence of adequate support from the other end.
“There is a risk of over-bowling Bumrah, but when someone is in form, you tend to bowl him more,” Rohit admitted during the post-match press briefing, reflecting on the pacer’s workload.
Rohit had relied heavily on Bumrah throughout the match. Bumrah’s exhaustion was evident by the end of Day 4, when the pacer was heard telling his captain, “Bus ab, ab bilkul dum nahi lag raha (No more. I can’t put in any more effort).”
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The skipper also lamented the lack of support for Bumrah, which he felt had been a persistent issue.
“Absolutely brilliant. We’ve been watching him for so many years now, coming here and getting the job done. He’s not a statistical person. He just wants to play for the country and do well for the team, but unfortunately, he’s not got a lot of support from the other side,” Rohit said, praising Bumrah’s selfless approach.
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Team India’s chances of qualifying for a third consecutive World Test Championship final took a significant hit with the defeat. Chasing a challenging target of 340 runs, India faltered to 155 all out, losing seven wickets for just 34 runs in the final session.
Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant kept India’s hopes alive until tea with a gritty partnership, but the collapse that followed underscored the team’s vulnerabilities.
With the series now 2-1 in Australia’s favour and the final Test set to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3, the pressure is on India to manage Bumrah’s workload effectively and find the much-needed support for their ace pacer.
