Latest news with #Bumrah
Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Jofra and Jasprit, the speed guns without speed breakers destined to make cricket great again
England's foremost cricket pundit Nasser Hussain thinks Jofra Archer should sit out the Edgbaston Test but train with the team – bowling at nets, jogging during breaks, getting his body Test match ready. Last Sunday, Archer, England's very own Jasprit Bumrah, played a first-class game after 1,500 days. Finally, fit to play the longer format, he bowled 18 overs for Sussex and got a wicket. If you are a 150kph bowler with a sparkling red-ball history that was enough to get a Test recall. But Hussain advises caution, he wants Archer to press restart at Lord's, ironically the Test Bumrah is expected to return to, after his likely miss of the second Test that starts on July 2. At the Home of Cricket, the two diehard Test cricket lovers will terrorise batsmen and for once the lopsided bat-versus-ball contest will be even. Bumrah and Jofra have lost out a lot because of their passion and commitment towards Tests. They could have taken the easy way out, like many of their contemporaries who just focused on white-ball cricket, cut down on workload and earned a lot. But they haven't. Jofra sacrificed money, Bumrah the captaincy. When Jofra was recalled, BBC spoke to his close friend Saqib Mahmood. The two had roomed when they were dealing with similar injuries. 'With Jof the easiest thing for him to have done is just gone purely white ball. He'd have been financially better off and had all of that. But I could always tell he wanted to play Test cricket. I just knew it,' Mahmood said. During the Headingley Test where he took five wickets, Bumrah, at a press conference, expressed his angst when asked about the constant speculation about his injury-ridden future. It's where India's MVP, a captaincy candidate till as recently as the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the end of last year, dropped a line that was about his regret at not being able to be India's long-term captain. It was a rare slip by the guarded professional who weighs every word he utters in public and even maintains a happy expression and positive tone when talking about 'dropped catches.' 'Mann tha, karna bhi tha, but Indian cricket se upar kuch nahi hai. (I wanted it and could do it but there is nothing bigger than Indian cricket),' he said, explaining how the high probability of missing games due to his workload saw him step back. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team, if they can't play all the Tests as it would impact continuity. Can we declare Jasprit Bumrah a national treasure already? 😅 #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 22, 2025 Fast bowlers, the ones putting their body on the line to pursue real speed, are a different breed. Always risking career-threatening injury, they are known to live on the edge. They are cricket's fighter jocks, the proud men who walk around the dressing room with a swagger. The team's popular stars, the batsmen keep a distance from them, but they know their importance. In contrast, the pacers mock the team's star batsmen, they are to them what boyband artists are to hardened rock stars. Even when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were in the team, no one fooled around with Bumrah. Jofra's mate Mahmood says there are a few no-go areas for him too. While the two trained, they would keep comparing his calf muscles. Jofra would have a retort that only those in 'Club 150' could possibly offer with a comeback line. 'What's the fastest you have bowled?' In a game in the early part of IPL, Jofra, turning up for Rajasthan Royals, took a serious beating. Against SunRisers Hyderabad, he went for 76 in four overs. It proved to be the most expensive IPL spell. Ishan Kishan and Travis Head were responsible for the nightmarish figures. 90 seconds of Jofra Archer being absolutely RAPID 🔥 Happy birthday, @jofraarcher 🎂 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) April 1, 2024 RR coach, the Kiwi speedster Shane Bond, saw how the game impacted Jofra. 'There's no doubt he was hurting a bit. I think that's a credit to how quickly he bounced back. He got back to the training ground, trained brilliantly, was really focused and knew what he wanted to do and had to do,' Bond told the BBC. By the end of the season, that spell was forgotten as Archer ended with 11 wickets. Bumrah too doesn't take injudicious batting adventurism kindly. In the 2024-25 BGT, the young Aussie opener Sam Konstas, their Ishan Kishan, riled Bumrah with his batting bravado. By the end of the tour, the Aussies were rethinking their opening options. The uncertainty over the fitness, and at times even about their pace, has resulted in the two getting targeted by fans. There was a time when it was said that Bumrah would miss India games because of his health but would get magically match-fit during IPL. Jofra too faced taunts during his long recovery and rehabilitation when ECB stood by him. There were comments that Jofra was on the longest paid holiday. Though, used to such sly sledges, there comes a point when it hurts. 'You try to not let it get to you but you can ignore 100 of them but sometimes that 101st is the straw that breaks the camel's back,' he once said. But Jofra would take criticism as motivation. Something that even Bumrah too is good at. Though the pacer now has legions of fans and is considered the team's rare match winner, his every injury coincides with some doomsday prediction. Bumrah, the other day, laughed at the regularity with which he gets written off. 'Everybody is free to write whatever they want. It doesn't matter to me. If those thoughts come into my mind, I will start believing it. I get dictated by what I believe in,' he says. 'I have played cricket on my belief since people have said 'no' to me all my life. First they said you wouldn't be able to play, next they said you will play for 6 months, after 8 months … now I have finished 10 years of international cricket.' And then he would get philosophical, he talks about barkat – the divine favour. 'I prepare the best I can and after that I leave it to the almighty. My barkat will decide how much I play,' he said. Here's hoping Lord's extends divine favour to the two men working towards making Tests great again.
India.com
an hour ago
- Sport
- India.com
Selection Conundrum: India's Nets Session Hints At Big Changes For 2nd Test VS England
Shubman Gill-led Team India started practice for their next test and Edgbaston. After suffering a gloomy defeat in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds the team has regrouped and is focusing to fix the mistakes that stopped them from starting the series on a high. The Net sessions on Friday gives a major reading and hint of what can be unfolded when India steps in at Edgbaston. Jasprit Bumrah who is expected to miss the second test following his workload management was a present during the net sessions but was out of action not bowling even a single bowl during the day as reported by Times of India. This more or so confirms that Bumrah could miss the second test confirming the reports. Bowling Lineup Overhaul While Bumrah was deadly during the first test taking a fifer in the first innings, lack of support from other end by Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur and Mohammad Siraj proved to be a key reason behind India's defeat. The Indian bowlers loocked lacklustre in second innings failing to defend 371. Prasidh was also absent from training on Friday further hinting that there could be another major change for the next test. Krishna who took five wickets in the game conceded runs at a high rate of over 6 with English batters attacking him in both the innings. Discussions With Head Coach Other than Bumrah and Prasidh's absence, another key story of this training session was lengthy discussions Akashdeep Singh and Arshdeep Dingh had with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Akashdeep was a part of Indian Playing 11 during Border Gavaskar Trophy and did considerably well Down Under. Arshdeep on the other hand is yet to debut in white for India. If Krishna is snubbed, Either of Akashdeep or Arshdeep could join Siraj for next test. Mohammad Siraj spent significant time batting in the nets as India's lower order collapse in both the innings proved to be the difference of the game in hindsight. India's Collapse 1st innings :- 7/41 2nd innings :- 6/31 India squad for five-match Test series: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav
India.com
2 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
Mohammed Shami calls out Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj after bowling disaster at Headingley, says 'Jasprit Bumrah needs support...'
Mohammed Shami. New Delhi: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has made an attack on the performance of the bowling unit, excluding Jasprit Bumrah, in the first test match against England at Leeds where India lost by 5 wickets. Bumrah was another highlight as he took five wickets in the first innings and could have further contributed to his tally had the charging catches of the players caught the lightning. He was however poorly supported by the rest of the attack with Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Ravindra Jadeja as well as Shardul Thakur failing to deliver at Headingley Test. Bumrah to miss second Test vs England? A report emerged on Thursday that India could miss Jasprit Bumrah in the second Test at Edgbaston, as the team management is eager to keep the workload in check. His possible absence might even increase the trouble for India. Mohammed Shami's clear message to Prasidh Krishna and Mohamed Siraj Having missed out the England Test series with an injury, Shami feels that the Indian bowlers still have a lot to go. Dwelling upon them, he stressed that they must look up to Jasprit Bumrah and see his planning and implementation strategies. 'Bumrah did not get the support he needed, is what I feel, otherwise we could have had a bigger lead in the first innings,' Shami said on his YouTube channel. 'Bowling could have been better. We could have drawn the game….Other Indian bowlers should talk to Bumrah and learn from him. They should talk about planning with him and support him. If they will support Bumrah, then we can easily win the match. If I talk about the first match, then I think we need to do a little work in the bowling.' 'Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets each in the 2nd innings, but by the time Shardul dismissed two England batters, the match was out of India's reach,' he added. 'It's important someone supports Bumrah. As a bowling side, we gave up many easy runs. We will need to find out how to strengthen Indian bowling if we have to win the series.'
India Gazette
5 hours ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
An analysis of Bumrah-Siraj's massive workload in Test cricket as Indian pace struggles for depth
London [UK], June 27 (ANI): As India look to navigate through the remainder of the five-match England Test series, plenty of eyeballs will be on the workload of their frontline pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, particularly the former, who have thrown down the majority of overs for the Asian giant since the start of 2020 and it is their wickets on which India's success hinges on. With Bumrah having a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Leeds Test and going wicketless in the second, he threw down almost 44 overs in the first Test. He is set to play only three Tests this series. The question is, will he play? especially with Siraj not doing so well since the tour to Australia. Bumrah's inclusion is something way beyond selection strategy as it is his action which places strain on his body, particularly his back. The workload management in his case does not become only tactical, but something of a massive importance. After the Sydney match which Bumrah left midway, Bumrah had a three-month injury layoff, which caused him to miss the ICC Champions Trophy won by India and four Indian Premier League (IPL). In 12 matches for MI, he bowled 47.2 overs, taking 18 wickets. The first Leeds Test was his first international outing and resulted in a massive workload, as he bowled 43.4 overs across these five days, as per Wisden. While the team has decided to have Bumrah play just three Tests, it begs another question: What about Siraj? While Bumrah's workload has been a massive topic of debate among fans and experts, Siraj's workload has gone unnoticed in shadows of a more celebrated, popular figure. Since the start of 2020, Siraj has bowled a total of 625.5 overs in Tests across 19 Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa (SENA countries), as compared to Bumrah's 751.2 in 22 Tests, with 101 wickets at an average of 20.95(6th-highest across the worldwide level), as per Wisden. This year itself, Siraj has delivered 69 overs across two SENA Tests, including 41 at Leeds. Unlike Bumrah, he is often played or is expected to play through a series without any rotation. Now, taking into account Tests all over the world, Bumrah has delivered 1030.1 overs, as compared to Siraj's 925.2 overs. Among the 12 other Indian pacers used since 2020, none of them have touched the 500-over mark and have a combined wicket count of just 188, as compared to 250 scalps taken by Bumrah-Siraj. There is a massive over-reliance on these two and lack of depth in Indian fast bowling, particularly for SENA countries, which are more pace dominant. Australia and England have been able to enjoy this depth, often debuting new faces and giving chances to domestic cricket veterans. But the same is not true for India. Since 2020, Bumrah has delivered 25.16 per cent of total pace overs of Team India, highest among all countries. Siraj is at number sixth, with a total percentage of 22.38. Bumrah has bowled an average of 34.15 overs per Test, while the number is 32.9 for Siraj. India's third and fourth seamers at Leeds, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur delivered a combined 51 overs, getting just seven wickets. Prasidh's expensive economy rate often let England score easy runs, while Shardul bowled barely 16 overs. This workload has increased only since last year. Since 2024, across conditions, Indian pacers have bowled a total of 1,112.2 overs. Only two pacers have managed above 150 overs, Bumrah with 410.4 and Siraj with 355.3. These two have delivered 69.3 per cent of the total balls by Indian pacers. During the ICC World Test Championship, the scope for missing Tests is less as India play more against likes of England and Australia. Including the ongoing England series, India will play six more away games in SENA during the 2025-27 cycle, including five Tests against Australia at home in early 2027. So, preservation of pacers and their workload management is even more crucial. What will be India's bowling combination during the second Edgbaston Test from July 2, will India play left-armer Arshdeep Singh, spinner Kuldeep Singh, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy or seamer Akash Deep? Will Bumrah miss out? Only time will tell. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 hours ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Jasprit Bumrah's chances to play Edgbaston Test low, not entirely ruled out yet
Edgbaston [UK], June 27 (ANI): Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's likelihood to play the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, starting from July 2 onwards, is low, as per ESPNCricinfo. The Indian team management has already confirmed that Bumrah, owing to workload management and history of injuries, will be playing only three Tests, though the matches that these are for have not been confirmed. ESPNCricinfo has learned that Bumrah's chances to take the field for the second Test are low. During the Leeds Test, Bumrah got a five-wicket haul in the first innings and went wicketless while defending 371 runs, delivering a total of almost 44 overs during the match. As per ESPNCricinfo, India returned to the nets on Friday after travelling, with a marathon training session of around five hours. Bumrah was present at the ground, he did not bowl or bat. The nets session was a closed door affair and the information about him possibly doing some fitness drills or bowling alone was not possible to tell. The session was visible from a street nearby the venue. Mohammed Siraj had a hit with the bat, before he joined Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna inside the venue. As per ESPNCricinfo, the chances remains low that Bumrah takes the field on July 2. The pre-decided combination to play Bumrah was apparently for the first and third Tests, with a choice to be made for the fourth or fifth Test on the basis of the direction of the series. There are big gaps between first and second Tests and third and fourth Tests, of seven to eight days each. He has not been ruled out entirely for Edgbaston and discussions around combination are yet to start. If Bumrah's body is in good state, he could play the Test. There is an optional training on Saturday, followed by a session on Monday. Arshdeep Singh, the left-armer pacer and Akash Deep bowled lengthy spells in nets, with Arshdeep bowling a lot with an old ball. He went around the wicket to right handers. This could have been something India decided to do after looking at the conditions in Birmingham. They could be expecting the reverse swing to be present as a factor. The mood within the camp is not to excessively ponder over Headingley loss, despite many dominant performances in the match. The message so far is to not change playing style too much, but repeat the process to get into strong positions again and react in much better manner. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
