India cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar brushed aside worries regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s match-winning record, minimizing a brewing social media narrative that India plays well only in Test cricket when Bumrah is not there. Tendulkar termed it as a coincidence that India had won its two Test matches in the recent series in England when Bumrah missed them due to workload management.
Social Media Buzz Points to Bumrah’s Absence in Wins
Social media has been full of comments connecting India’s wins to Bumrah’s unavailability. India won in Birmingham, where Akash Deep shone with a 10-wicket match haul, ably assisted by Mohammed Siraj. In the fifth and last Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India achieved a series-evening victory at The Oval on Monday, 3 August, through the brilliance of Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
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“Bumrah started off really well—he took five wickets in the first Test. He didn’t play the second but returned for the third and fourth. At Lord’s, he picked up another five-wicket haul. So, out of three Tests, he’s taken five wickets twice. I know people are discussing all sorts of things, like India winning the matches he didn’t play. But for me, that’s just a coincidence, to be honest,” Tendulkar said.
Bumrah’s Quality Is Unmatched, Says Sachin
“The quality of Bumrah is just exceptional. What he has achieved so far is unbelievable. He has been a consistent performer without any doubt. I would put him right at the top with anyone else,” he added.
It was decided in advance that only three of the five Tests in the series against England would be played by Bumrah—a fact made obvious by chief selector Ajit Agarkar as much as a month prior to the announcement of the team.
Bumrah’s Test-by-Test Performance in England
Bumrah played in the series opener at Leeds, where India lost despite scoring more than 800 runs. He claimed five wickets in the first innings but remained wicketless in the second innings, as England chased 373 with five wickets remaining.
He missed the second Test at Birmingham—India’s victory by a crushing margin of 336 runs—but came back at Lord’s, picking another five-wicket haul. India went down by 22 runs in the match despite his trying, unable to complete 195 in the last innings.
Bumrah also featured in the fourth Test at Manchester, taking only two wickets in what proved to be India’s sole bowling day. Facing the fifth Test as a series decider, the team management, on the advice of the BCCI medical team, decided to rest Bumrah—a move that was subject to significant criticism, as India went into the do-or-die match without their top fast bowler.
Siraj Steps Up in Final Test, Becomes Series Hero
But Siraj stepped up in Bumrah’s place, taking nine wickets in the last Test—including a five-for—as England were denied a 374-run target by seven runs.
Siraj was the series’ top wicket-taker with 23 wickets and was also awarded Player of the Match in the final at The Oval.
Tendulkar appreciated Siraj’s relentless intensity and capacity to shoulder a big load. The Hyderabad paceman bowled 185.2 overs—the most by a fast bowler in the five-Test series in England.
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“Unbelievable. Superb approach. I love his attitude,” Tendulkar remarked.
“I love the spring in his legs. If you don’t look at the scoreboard and just watch his body language, you won’t be able to tell whether it’s a day when he’s taken five wickets or none—the intensity is the same.
“His attitude and approach never waver. If a fast bowler is constantly in your face like that, no batsman enjoys it,” he added.
