Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is poised to take the reins as captain for India in the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth on Friday. With regular captain Rohit Sharma opting out of selection due to the birth of his second child, the responsibility now falls on the talented speedster to not only deliver early breakthroughs with his lethal spells but also to rejuvenate the entire team following a disappointing whitewash against New Zealand at home.
The stakes are high in the upcoming Australia Test series, but Bumrah is no stranger to pressure. When the Ahmedabad-born player celebrated his 25th birthday in 2018, he made his Test debut in Australia (in Adelaide) just 11 months after his first appearance in red-ball cricket for India. Initially tasked with supporting senior pacers Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami in unsettling the Australian batsmen, Bumrah has since evolved into a seasoned player with the courage to lead the bowling attack.
Now, six years later, armed with valuable experience and the determination to lead from the front, Bumrah is ready to continue his impressive form with the red ball. Taking on the captaincy role will only add another layer of excitement as he explores new facets of his game. Although he has only captained the team once before, in England in 2022, where India narrowly lost in a thrilling run-chase in Birmingham, Bumrah's leadership skills are sure to shine in the upcoming Test match in Perth.
A look at Bumrah’s numbers against Australia in Australia:
Jasprit Bumrah has participated in seven Test matches in Australia, unfortunately missing the series-decider in Brisbane due to an abdominal strain. Throughout these matches, he has impressively taken 32 wickets in 14 innings, boasting an average of 21.25. His standout performance came during the 2018-19 tour at the MCG Test, where he achieved his best bowling figures of 6 for 33.
It is worth noting that Bumrah has exclusively played all of his Test matches against Australia on their home turf, as he was sidelined during the 2023 home series in February-March of last year.
Of the 32 Australian wickets claimed by Bumrah, he has dismissed 14 different Australian players during his two visits thus far. Notably, current Australia Test captain Pat Cummins and former captain Tim Paine have fallen victim to Bumrah four times each. Additionally, Bumrah has outperformed Mitchell Starc and Shaun Marsh three times each. Surprisingly, he has only managed to dismiss Steven Smith once and has yet to claim the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne in their encounters across four Test matches.
Also read| Virat Kohli's Test record in Australia: An in-depth look at the stats, performances of Indian batting maestro
