Is Jasprit Bumrah bowling on a different surface altogether? How long can his magic continue to make India relevant? Why is it not hard for opposition batters to score runs off other pacers? Will the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna back Bumrah up anytime soon? These are the questions that will linger in the minds of Indian management and fans after what was seen on Day 2 of the England vs India opening Test in Leeds.
Bumrah: One-man show makes India relevant
At Headingley on Day 2 of the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah once again carried India’s bowling hopes on his back. On a day tailor-made for seamers, with overhead conditions and a pitch offering some movement, it was only Bumrah who looked threatening. He finished with 3 for 48 in 13 overs. The rest of India’s pacers? A combined 27 overs, 0 wickets, and 129 runs conceded at 4.77 runs per over, worse than England’s overall run rate of 4.27.
The difference in quality, control, and execution was glaring. Mohammed Siraj, entrusted to be Bumrah’s deputy, lacked precision. Although he can be extremely threatening, the DSP didn’t execute his plans, and he failed to sustain pressure. Prasidh Krishna, playing his first Test in England, looked undercooked and lacked planning.
Most surprising was captain Shubman Gill’s decision not to bowl Shardul Thakur until the 40th over. It might be a clear sign of a lack of trust. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja, the lone spinner, toiled without impact.
Overdependence on Bumrah
India’s pace depth has been exposed repeatedly since the opening BGT Perth Test in 2024. The gap between Bumrah and the rest has only widened:
| Since BGT 2024/25 | Wickets | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 35 | 13.31 |
| Other Indian Pacers | 48 | 40.29 |
Talk about overdependence. This is almost three times the difference! In the “other” pacers category, India used as many as six different options. Siraj is the second-best pacer in the tally, with him taking 20 wickets. But his bowling average of 34.45 is way too high compared to Bumrah’s 13.31.
Day 2 should have belonged to India. After piling 471 runs, they bowled under cloud cover. Bumrah got Zak Crawley with a beauty early on, and later dismissed Duckett and Root in inspired spells. But catches were dropped. Duckett by Jadeja, Pope by Jaiswal. Unluckily, Bumrah overstepped when he dismissed Harry Brook in the last over of the day.
Please come good, Siraj & co
Bumrah’s fierce spell post-tea deserved better. But support never came. Pope’s counterpunching hundred turned the tide, and as England reached stumps at 209/3. If the trend continues, England batters will be ruling the roost. Also, Bumrah isn’t looking to play all five Tests. He’s bound to miss a couple of matches due to workload management.
This is where India can lose the series if the other pacers don’t turn up big time. They have the biggest inspiration within their dressing room.
To add to that, in whatever matches he is playing, he can’t bowl for extended spells as well. So, the only way out is, the other bowlers need to be much more effective, but how is a question best left to be answered by them?
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Average | SR | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 29 | 80 | 15.12 | 30.5 | 5 |
| Pat Cummins | 26 | 62 | 19.35 | 39.2 | 5 |
| Shoaib Bashir | 28 | 59 | 37.47 | 59.6 | 4 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | 23 | 58 | 37.17 | 68.0 | 5 |
| Nathan Lyon | 27 | 57 | 24.52 | 50.6 | 1 |
