 "Jasprit Bumrah collected seven wickets (5/74 and 2/38) in the Lord's Test, which India lost by 22 runs. AP")
Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been among the top performers in India’s ongoing tour of England, where he is the second-highest wicket-taker so far in the series with 12 wickets in two Tests – having played at Headingley and Lord’s while sitting out of the second Test at Edgbaston.
Unfortunately for him and for the Indian team, Bumrah’s brilliance on the field has not translated to success for the team, with the Shubman Gill-led visitors having lost both of the Tests that he has played so far.
Bumrah, who is likely to play just one out of the two remaining Tests in England due to his workload management following a recent back injury, has collected a five-wicket haul in each of the two Tests that he has played. India, however, ended up suffering a five-wicket defeat in the series opener in Leeds before allowing the Ben Stokes-led hosts to go 2-1 up with a thrilling 22-run win at the ‘Home of Cricket’ on Monday .
The pacer had sat out of the second Test in Birmingham, where pace colleagues Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep – his replacement in the playing XI – accounted for 17 of the 20 English wickets that fell as India leveled the series in style with a commanding 336-run victory .
Former England all-rounder and head coach David Lloyd was among those addressing the elephant in the room, stating that it was “extraordinary” for the Indian team to lose more often than not in the presence of the “best bowler in the world”.
“That’s extraordinary. There was something that said when he plays they lose more than when he doesn’t play, and he is like the best bowler in the world. And he is awkward and nasty with his action, but a thoroughly decent fella,” the cricketer-turned-commentator told TalkSport Cricket.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhat is India’s winning percentage with Bumrah in their ranks?
India have played a total of 74 Tests since 31-year-old Bumrah made his debut in the format in January 2018 during the tour of South Africa. And the pacer has featured in 47 of them, including the two Tests in the ongoing tour of England, having cemented his place in the side since his debut in the ‘Rainbow Nation’.
When it comes to Tests involving Bumrah, India have a record of 20 wins and 23 defeats and four draws. And since he made his debut, India have played 27 Tests without him in the XI – winning 19, losing five and drawing three.
India’s win percentage in Tests with and without Bumrah stands at 42 per cent and 70 per cent respectively, which backs Lloyd’s claim and puts a question mark on the impact of Bumrah’s on-field brilliance on the team’s fortunes.
On-field performance doesn’t appear to be the case with Bumrah currently the only bowler with 200 or more Test wickets at an average under 20 (19.48). Whether it’s over-reliance on Bumrah as a wicket-taking option or some other factor behind these numbers is something that will be best explained by the bowler himself or by the Indian team management, should they choose to address the issue.
Lloyd questions whether coach Gambhir will stick to three-Test claim for Bumrah
Both head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill had earlier stated that Bumrah would not be playing more than three Tests in England in order to prevent his dodgy back from flaring up once again.
Bumrah himself had confirmed the same in a chat with former teammate Dinesh Karthik on Sky Sports, although neither the pacer nor Gill or Gambhir had mentioned the exact Tests that he would be part of in the series.
Lloyd, however, questions whether Team India will really be sticking to that claim if Bumrah plays the fourth Test in Manchester and helps level the scoreline ahead of the series finale at The Oval.
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“It is what they’ve said and what the coach Gautam Gambhir said that he will play three out of the five Tests. So, he’s got a choice. There are two matches to go. He’s played two. If they are true to their words, he should play this next game at Old Trafford,” Lloyd said.
“But then, you know, they can manoeuvre that, can’t they? If he plays this next one at Old Trafford and they get a result to make it 2-2, you’d think he’d play at The Oval as well.
“I’m second-guessing, but I think he’ll play this next game and see where they are. If England go 3-1, he won’t play. But if it’s 2-2, he will play at the Oval,” he added.
The fourth Test at Manchester’s Old Trafford gets underway next Wednesday (23 July) while the fifth and final Tests takes place at The Oval from 31 July to 4 August.