India’s dismal show in the ongoing Brisbane Test after a one-sided defeat in Adelaide has come under the scanner, but the team’s vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah said they can’t be “pointing fingers at each other”, especially when the team is going through “transition”.
Bumrah has been carrying the weight of the team on his shoulders in a one-man show that has seen him taking 18 wickets so far in the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy.
We as a team are going through transition: Jasprit Bumrah
On day three of the Gabba Test in Brisbane, Bumrah completed a six-wicket haul to keep the visitors alive in the rain-hit third match of the series, which is currently level at 1-1. But the Indian batters continued to disappoint, slipping to 51 for 4 in response to Australia’s first-innings total of 445, thanks to centuries by Travis Head (152) and Steve Smith (101)
Bumrah hasn’t found support from the rest of the pacers in India’s squad on a consistent basis and has been overburdened with the task of taking wickets.
“We don’t want to get into that mindset where we’re pointing fingers at each other,” said Bumrah after the close of play on Monday. “As a bowling unit, we are in transition. So it’s my job to help others. I have played a little more than them, so I am trying to help them.”
Bumrah denied that he has been overworked in the ongoing series and threw his weight behind fellow pacers Akash Deep, Harshit Rana and allrounder Nitish Reddy, who are on their maiden Test tour of Australia.
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“We have 11 players and I don’t look at it like I have to do extra (work),” he said. “A lot of new players have come into the side, so we have to be considerate and give them that cushion that will help them learn.
India had won historic Test series on their last two tours of Australia, but Bumrah said those teams had more experience than the current one.
“We had a little more experienced side when we came here last time, but this is a journey that every team will go through. Nobody’s born with all the experiences, nobody’s born with all the skills. You keep learning and…you get better.”
India will have their overnight batsmen KL Rahul (33*) and Rohit Sharma (0*) resume the fight on Sunday, with the weather expected to remain overcast with rain interruptions through the day.
“The idea now is to bat as long as possible. We are hoping to build good partnerships tomorrow (Tuesday).”
