Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: What will be Team India's probable bowling combination with Akash Deep ruled out of the Sydney Test due to injury?
Team India are trailing 1-2 in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with one match remaining in Sydney. If India win the Sydney Test, they not only draw the series and retain the trophy but also keep their hopes alive for a spot in the World Test Championship final. However, India have several issues to address before the decider, particularly in finalising a bowling combination capable of taking 20 wickets in Sydney.
With that in mind, let’s review each bowler from the Melbourne Test, their chances of retaining their spot for the Sydney Test, and the possible replacements if changes are made.
Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah has been in terrific form in this series, easily the best pacer from either side. He has taken 30 wickets at an average of 12.83 in 4 Tests. Whether it’s the new ball, the old ball, or the second new ball, Bumrah has consistently delivered by securing early breakthroughs, breaking threatening stands, and even polishing off the tail. He is undoubtedly an automatic choice for selection.
However, this also highlights how heavily India have depended on Bumrah for wickets, thereby increasing his workload. In the Melbourne Test’s second innings, captain Rohit Sharma used Bumrah in multiple short bursts to pick up wickets, and the warhorse responded by returning with a match haul of nine wickets. Yet, this effort came at the cost of bowling a mammoth 50 overs in the match. With only a few days of recovery time before the Sydney Test, Bumrah’s fitness will face a stern test to go full throttle in the series decider. Nevertheless, an attack without Bumrah is simply unthinkable at this stage.
Read More: Jasprit Bumrah breaks the 200-wicket barrier in Tests, becomes fastest India pacer to this milestone
Mohammed Siraj
Siraj’s energy, work ethic, and commitment to the game are unquestionable. He has bowled tirelessly in all matches so far, but this effort has not been reflected in his wicket column. He has been guilty of not consistently bowling in the line of the stumps, often following a tenth-eleventh stump line, which has allowed opposition batters to breathe easy. Whenever Siraj has bowled on the line of the stumps, his deliveries have either been too full or too short.
However, after a forgettable first innings in the Melbourne Test, where he failed to pick up wickets and conceded 122 runs, Siraj found his rhythm in the second innings. He claimed three crucial wickets—those of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steven Smith—providing valuable support to strike bowler Bumrah. With Siraj regaining his rhythm, he will once again need to bowl well in the Sydney Test alongside Bumrah to help India level the series. For the record, Mohammed Siraj has taken 16 wickets at an average of 31.43 in 4 Tests so far.
Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana for Akash Deep
Deep bowled in the last two Tests and impressed by inducing many false shots from the Aussies. However, despite his good performances, he managed to take just 5 wickets across the two matches, increasing the pressure on Bumrah to deliver breakthroughs. Unfortunately, with Deep sidelined due to a bad back, India must now choose between Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana for the third seamer's slot.
India might lean towards Krishna for the Sydney Test to bring a fresh dimension to the attack. Krishna has been in excellent form leading up to the Test series, having taken 10 wickets in two unofficial Tests against Australia A while playing for the India A squad. His height and pace make him a strong candidate, as he could extract extra bounce from the Sydney surface to trouble the opposition. Known for hitting the deck hard, Krishna’s ability to generate bounce off the pitch might give him the edge to replace Deep in the playing XI.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar
Considering Sydney may offer assistance to spinners, India might opt to play both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the XI. The duo has contributed effectively with both bat and ball in the last two Tests. Jadeja showcased his resilience with a fighting 77 in the Brisbane Test, helping India avoid the follow-on. Similarly, Sundar displayed his characteristic grit with a vital fifty in the Melbourne Test's first innings, partnering with Nitish Kumar Reddy to pull India out of trouble.
On the bowling front, Jadeja claimed 4 wickets in the Melbourne Test, proving his value as a spinner even on less favorable surfaces. Sundar, despite the conditions being largely unsupportive of spin, has managed to take 4 wickets across three Tests. The fourth Test at Sydney could provide more turn and bounce, giving the spinners an opportunity to shine. Moreover, their batting prowess is a key factor in their selection, especially given the ongoing struggles of the top order.
Read More: Harshit Rana's inexperience hurts India in Adelaide; Was benching Akash Deep a wrong decision?
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Reddy began the series as a bowling all-rounder but truly made his mark as a batter, registering a memorable maiden ton in the Melbourne Test. While he was called upon to bowl occasionally and managed to pick up a few wickets, he lacked the pace to trouble the Aussies consistently. As a result, his bowling was used sparingly, mainly to provide rest to the frontline bowlers.
In the upcoming Sydney Test, he is more likely to feature as a specialist batter, with the possibility of being called on for occasional overs if needed.
Could Harshit get a chance at redemption?
After an impressive Test debut at Perth, where Rana picked up 5 wickets, he faced a reality check in the Adelaide Test, going wicketless for 86 runs. Consequently, he was dropped from the playing XI. However, with India struggling to find effective support for Bumrah from the other bowlers, Rana might return to contention for the Sydney Test, especially if the management opts to drop Deep and considers Krishna lacking in match practice.
India could also explore the option of fielding a fourth pacer in Rana, replacing a spinner to provide additional support to Bumrah. However, given India’s approach so far and their ongoing batting struggles, it is more likely that they will stick with three pacers and three all-rounders—Sundar, Jadeja, and Reddy—just as they did in the previous match.
Possible bowling combination
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy
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