Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has voiced what many observers have been thinking after Day 2 of the Leeds Test that India is far too reliant on Jasprit Bumrah. Overdependence on Bumrah was quite evident at Headingley as the other pacers failed to cause much trouble. Bumrah, on the other hand, took three wickets, and was the only player who kept the visitors relevant. Three catches were dropped off his bowling as well.
Shastri doesn’t hold back
Speaking to Sky Sports, Shastri did not hold back, praising Bumrah’s brilliance while warning of the looming consequences of the pacer’s solitary burden. “There’s a big difference in levels,” Shastri remarked as per Hindustan Times, questioning the disparity between Bumrah and the rest of India’s pace attack.
“I’m really concerned about Bumrah and what his workload will be as the series progresses, because he is the one man who is expected to pick wickets every spell he bowls. I just hope someone at the other end puts their hands up,” he told Sky Cricket.
India’s pace unit, once considered world-class across conditions, was exposed again. Bumrah finished Day 2 with 3 for 48 in 13 overs, dismissing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root. The rest, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur, combined for 0 wickets while conceding 154 runs. Their lack of penetration allowed England to claw back to 209/3 at stumps despite batting under cloud cover.
Overdependence on Bumrah
India’s pace depth has been exposed repeatedly since the opening BGT Perth Test in 2024. The gap between Bumrah and the rest has only widened:
| Since BGT 2024/25 | Wickets | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 35 | 13.31 |
| Other Indian Pacers | 48 | 40.29 |
Credit: @@randomcricstat
Talk about overdependence. This is almost three times the difference! In the “other” pacers category, India used as many as six different options. Siraj is the second-best pacer in the tally, with him taking 20 wickets. But his bowling average of 34.45 is way too high compared to Bumrah’s 13.31.
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