Star batsman Virat Kohli has called on skipper Jasprit Bumrah to lead India after their six-wicket loss against Australia in the fifth Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl in the second innings for Australia during the match after suffering back spasms while bowling on the second day.
India suffered a heartbreaking six-wicket defeat in Sydney on Sunday, January 5. Australia chased down the target of 162 runs with six wickets in hand. The Pat Cummins-led side won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by a margin of 3-1. Australia qualified for the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final with the win.
Watch: No Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli urges Jasprit Bumrah to lead India after SCG loss
After India’s defeat at the SCG, Virat Kohli called on Jasprit Bumrah to lead the team rather than Rohit Sharma. Bumrah was seen joining his teammates on the field after the defeat, which caught the attention of social media users.
Watch the incident here:
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) January 5, 2025
Jasprit Bumrah has back spasm – Prasidh Krishna
India’s bowling spearhead hit just one in Australia’s first innings after the lunch break on the second day of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Bumrah left the venue in his training gear, accompanied by support staff, to undergo a scan on his back to assess the extent of the injury.
During the press conference after the conclusion of the second day of play, Prasidh Krishna confirmed that Bumrah was dealing with back spasms. Bumrah was fit enough to bat, but the team decided not to risk his bowling in Australia’s second innings, as they did not want to further aggravate the injury.
I don’t know if that was a rehearsed answer – former Indian cricketer
Reacting to Prasidh Krishna’s statement about Bumrah’s injury, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed some skepticism. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar questioned whether the back spasm explanation was completely accurate. Manjrekar hoped the injury was really as minor as claimed.
“If it was anything more than back spasms, I think the whole country would be in spasms. So that’s good to know, but I don’t know if that was a rehearsed answer because I’m sure Team Management knew that question was going to be asked, you wonder why anyone would go all the way out of the country to get screened,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.
Jasprit Bumrah was the best bowler in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He took 32 wickets from 151.2 overs in five Tests, at an impressive average of 13.06. The pacer had three hauls with five and two hauls with four wickets.
On day two in Sydney, Bumrah surpassed Bishan Singh Bedi’s record for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in a Test series in Australia, his 32nd wicket coming when he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne. Bedi previously held the record with 31 wickets during the 1977-78 series.
Also read: Is Jasprit Bumrah’s injury at the Sydney Test very serious? The report reveals the truth
