Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Huge average gap between the India and Australia bowling attack with the old ball. What are the possible reasons?
Jasprit Bumrah has been the standout bowler in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, dominating across the four Tests between India and Australia. Whether with the new ball, the old ball, or the second new ball, Bumrah has been exceptional, claiming 30 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.83—the most by any bowler in the series.
It is fair to say that Bumrah has shown no apparent weakness, barring a rare moment in the Melbourne Test first innings when debutant Sam Konstas launched a surprising counterattack. However, Bumrah had the final say, dismissing Konstas for a single-digit score in the second innings, reinforcing his supremacy.
However, hold your horses—statistics reveal that Bumrah has not been at his lethal best with the old ball compared to the Australia pacers. In fact, the entire India bowling unit has struggled with the old ball throughout the four Tests.
Here’s a breakdown of the numbers, highlighting the significant disparity in bowling averages with the old ball between the India and Australia bowlers in the series so far.
Team | Overs 1-40 | Overs 41-80 |
India | 23.82 | 45.44 |
Australia | 25.89 | 22.42 |
While India and Australia have similar bowling averages between overs 1-40 with the new ball, India’s average jumps to 45.44, whereas Australia’s drops to 22.42 with the old ball. This indicates that India have conceded significantly more runs while taking fewer wickets with the old ball, whereas the Aussies have managed to take more wickets while conceding fewer runs during the same phase.
Even Bumrah has found it challenging to contain the Australia batters and dismiss them with the old ball. As for the support bowlers, their performance has left much to be desired.
Here’s a look at how India and Australia bowlers have fared between different phases of an innings in the four Tests so far.
India bowlers:
Jasprit | Bumrah | Mo. | Siraj | Akash | Deep | |
Overs | Wickets | Average | Wickets | Average | Wickets | Average |
1-41 | 19 | 10.3 | 9 | 26.8 | 2 | 54.5 |
41-80 | 4 | 24.5 | 2 | 74.5 | 0 | - |
81 & Beyond | 7 | 13.1 | 5 | 22.8 | 3 | 33.0 |
Australia Bowlers:
Pat | Cummins | Mithcell | Starc | Scott | Boland | |
Overs | Wickets | Average | Wickets | Average | Wickets | Average |
1-41 | 12 | 22.7 | 13 | 19.7 | 5 | 26.2 |
41-80 | 6 | 22.5 | 3 | 37.7 | 6 | 15.2 |
81 & Beyond | 2 | 23.0 | 0 | - | 0 | - |
Aussie bowlers are clear superiors with old ball
An analysis of the middle overs (41-80) reveals a noticeable dip in Bumrah's effectiveness with the old ball. His average during this phase is 24.5, compared to 10.3 and 13.1 with the new ball and second new ball, respectively. He also takes the fewest wickets during overs 41-80 compared to other phases of the innings. Meanwhile, Siraj averages a high 74.5 with the old ball, and Deep has struggled to take a single wicket in this phase.
In contrast, Australia pacers have fared much better. Pat Cummins averages an impressive 22.5 and has taken 6 wickets in the middle overs, while Scott Boland does even better, averaging 15.2 with 6 wickets. Only Mitchell Starc shows a dip in effectiveness, averaging 37.7 with the old ball compared to 19.7 with the new ball, as his strength lies in his mastery with the new ball.
These numbers highlight the struggles of India bowlers with the old ball, while the Aussies have managed to maintain consistent impact during this critical phase.
Read More: Jasprit Bumrah breaks the 200-wicket barrier in Tests, becomes fastest India pacer to this milestone
What are possible reasons for India bowlers’ struggles?
Australia’s experience in using old ball
Australia’s attack boasts players with extensive Test experience. Mitchell Starc is nearing 100 Tests and 400 wickets, Pat Cummins has almost 300 wickets in 66 matches, and Nathan Lyon has an impressive 538 wickets from 133 matches. Even Scott Boland, with fewer matches under his belt, is closing in on 50 Test wickets.
This experience shows in how the Australia bowlers handle the old ball. They effectively use their variations to extract whatever they can from a soft ball that offers little off the pitch. Unlike India, who often resort to part-timers to keep Bumrah fresh for the second new ball, the Aussies rely on their skills to create breakthroughs even without a new ball.
A prime example of this came in the second innings of the Melbourne Test. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant inching closer to salvaging a draw for India, Pat Cummins refused to wait for the new ball. He introduced part-timer Travis Head, who delivered a crucial breakthrough. Cummins then dismissed the dangerous Jaiswal himself, wrapping up the innings without needing the new ball.
Lack of familiarity with pitches and conditions
Cummins and his team have a deep understanding of how their pitches behave on the third and fourth days and precisely where to bowl with the old ball. Should they pitch it up or target good-length areas on deteriorating surfaces? Should they bowl stump-to-stump or stick to an off-stump line to set traps for the batters? The Aussies know these answers well and always come prepared with a solid game plan to dismantle their opposition.
Their intimate knowledge of home conditions, combined with years of experience playing on these surfaces, makes them significantly more efficient and effective at taking wickets than their opponents.
India’s inexperience
India do not tour Australia every year for a Test series—the last one being in 2020-21. Additionally, countries like South Africa, England, or New Zealand present varied pitches and conditions compared to Australia. Consequently, apart from Bumrah and Siraj to some extent, the rest of India’s bowling unit lacks significant experience playing in Australia. This inexperience hampers their ability to exploit Australian pitches and conditions effectively with the old ball.
As a result, captain Rohit Sharma often relies on the second new ball for breakthroughs. In the interim, part-timers are used to keep the pace bowlers fresh, which plays right into Australia’s hands. Their batters take full advantage, scoring briskly against the part-timers and often taking the game away from India.
Difference in balls used
Australia use Kookaburra balls, while India use SG balls, and the primary difference lies in how these balls age over the course of a match. The Kookaburra ball is machine-stitched, causing its soft seam to flatten out quickly as the game progresses. This makes it challenging for bowlers to extract bounce, seam, or movement off the pitch. On the other hand, SG balls are hand-stitched, with a pronounced seam that retains its shape even as the ball ages, aiding in reverse swing—especially in Indian conditions.
As a result, India bowlers accustomed to SG balls and reverse swing at home often struggle to adapt to Kookaburra balls when they get old. In contrast, Australia bowlers, well-versed in handling the Kookaburra, utilize variations or exploit the weaknesses of opposition batters to take wickets effectively.
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