Bumrah proving to be a one-man army for India in Tests; What’s ailing his support cast?

Jasprit Bumrah has nearly double the wickets (76) of next best (39) since Jan 2024 – Is India too dependent on him in Tests?

As Jasprit Bumrah strode on the Headingley turf for his second short spell before Tea, the crowd gave him a loud reception. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Ollie Pope, on 47, changed his guard as if the 21-over old ball would start swinging under semi-blue skies. Ben Duckett stopped the pacer during his run-up to go through the same routine. 

Since Jan 2024, the Ahmedabad-born has picked up 76 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 15. In the same period, the rest of India’s fast bowlers have bagged 75 scalps at an average of 33.60. For any country to win championships in the longest format, one bowler can’t shoulder the entire responsibility. 

Read More: ENG vs IND, 2025, 1st Test, Day 2: Bumrah the lone fighter with 3-48; England 209-3 in reply to 471

Jasprit Bumrah’s fast-bowling perfection 
The most impressive aspect of Bumrah’s bowling is how he never gets carried away looking at the condition. For him, it’s about hitting the right line and length. With his action, pace, and accuracy, the 31-year-old doesn’t need any condition in his favor to be lethal. 

Zak Crawley got the task of facing the veteran, who was playing a first-class game after nearly six months. Quite naturally, Crawley hoped that the pacer would need a few overs to find his rhythm. He waswrong. Bumrah’s first delivery nipped away from the batter from outside the off stump. 

The third ball was a peach. With the angle, it forced the right-handed batter to throw his bat at it. The Kent opener just wished not to edge it. However, the last ball was too good to block. The 27-year-old looked to guide the leg-sided delivery with the angle. But it leaped up and swung away to claim the outside edge.

Had Ravindra Jadeja not dropped a rare catch of Duckett, the home side would have been under tremendous pressure. The southpaw eventually got dismissed to the Ahmedabad-born on 62. He went forward for a huge drive as the thick inside edge flashed into the middle stump. Amidst a loud cheer, Joe Root walked in. 

Pope edged the out-swinging delivery to the third slip before watching Yashasvi Jaiswal drop the chance. Late in the evening, captain Shubman Gill threw the ball to Bumrah. Just after England’s number three celebrated his century, the tourists got a chance to celebrate Root’s wicket. 

The experienced campaigner was deceived by a delivery that straightened rather than moving in. He poked the ball to the first slip and got dismissed to the top-ranked red-ball bowler for the tenth time. It was not over yet. 

Harry Brook, after three swinging deliveries, got cramped to pull the bouncer as Mohammed Siraj rushed back to complete a fine catch. Bumrah and the entire India raised their arms. Seconds later, the umpire called it a no-ball. The second day ended with a brutal bouncer that Brook narrowly ducked inside the line. 

Read More: Bumrah or Rabada: Who is the better Test bowler?

India’s clueless supportive bowling 
Once Bumrah’s opening spell ended, India leaked 35 runs in the next seven overs. Both Pope and Duckett milked the singles around the ground with timely boundaries. Captain Gill stood at square legonly to throw the ball back at the bowler. Suddenly, from a hostile period, it turned into club cricket.

Their supporting bowlers are not regular with the line and length. That was the case even in Australia during the BGT 2024-25. Bumrah ended with 32 wickets in nine innings during the series, while the next best was Mohammad Siraj with 20 scalps. The Hyderabad-born had an average of 31.15 compared to the Gujarat pacer’s 13.06. 

On the second day at Headingley, India’s third and fourth seamers, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, conceded 79 runs in 13 overs. The Karnataka pacer kept nailing the short length on a surface that demanded fuller balls for swing. It allowed the England batters to go deep in the crease. Siraj was wayward in the first spell without any constant plan. 

Thakur didn’t get the ball in hand till the 40th over. And his first over showed its reason. The Mumbai bowler gave room besides going short and was on the pads to the set batters. Nothing worked and he finished with 0/23 in three overs. 

During the Ashes 2023, Australia, for certain periods, tried to dry out the runs to challenge England’s ‘Bazball’ intent. It brought success. But apart from Bumrah, India’s rest of the pace bowling group on the second day of Leeds finished with 0/129 in 27 overs. Their economy of nearly five never put pressure on the home batters. 

Due to the same reason, Rohit Sharma over-bowled his premier pacer in Australia. By the end of the summer, he broke down. They can’t afford to repeat the same mistake. It’s high time Krishna, Siraj, and Thakur develop their bowling. Otherwise, it will be another long summer for the tourists.

Read More: How Bumrah fared on his last tour to England in 2021-22: A numerical analysis