India Struggles Without Jasprit Bumrah’s Leadership, Facing Challenges in His Absence
Jasprit Bumrah sat in his whites, head bowed, shoulders slouched—powerless. India too was powerless, as Australia needed just 15 runs to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Travis Head, India’s nemesis, was steering the charge once again, dashing India’s hopes of levelling the series.
Bumrah longed to be out there, as did India. But after five intense Tests carrying the team’s hopes, his body—likely his back, though the exact injury remained unknown—had finally given way. After weeks of relying on Bumrah to keep them in the hunt, India now faced the ultimate challenge without their lone warrior.
For nearly seven weeks, India’s hopes had rested on Bumrah’s shoulders. Now, those hopes were gone. In his absence, the Indian new-ball bowlers, led by Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, had managed to create an opening—perhaps more than just an opening—but the toll of fatigue was evident. Both physically and mentally, they were spent.
Kohli did his best, urging them from the slips, gesturing for deliveries outside off, embodying the role of a ‘captain’ in every way he could. But as much as he tried, he couldn’t bowl for them. Krishna showed some improvement, hitting the deck and finding the right line, but Siraj struggled to find his rhythm. The small target didn’t help either, and in an instant, the chase was on, leaving even Kohli speechless.
And then there was Kohli, facing his own demons. He knew this would likely be his last Test series in Australia, the place where he had cemented his name and earned grudging respect. But after a promising start in Perth, his bat deserted him. Despite working tirelessly in the nets, tweaking his technique, shifting his stance, he couldn’t overcome the urge to reach for deliveries outside off.
This was Kohli’s final dance on Australian soil. His bat had failed him, and despite walking out with his chest puffed out the previous evening for what was meant to be his last Test innings in a country where he had always thrived, he was forced to leave the crease, cursing himself. Such is life.
But there was still Sunday. Perhaps he could summon some magic as a leader, inspire the Indian bowlers to forget Bumrah’s absence and believe in their own abilities—just like they had on Saturday after Bumrah’s departure.
Yet, deep down, Kohli must have known that external inspiration couldn’t last forever. Not for two days in a row, not with no rest for the bowlers, not when their legs and minds were spent, not when the true pressure of the match was upon them, and the end was in sight. He tried, but by the afternoon, even he must have realized there were limits to what he could orchestrate.
Especially when Travis Head is at the crease, the man who has a knack for extinguishing India’s hopes in key moments. And when Usman Khawaja senses the absence of Bumrah, knowing this is his opportunity for a substantial knock, he capitalizes—clipping off his hips, flicking with precision, and cutting behind point. Those shots told their own story, hinting at a lack of sharp bowling radar, but Khawaja took full advantage. Even though he fell trying to pull Siraj, under-edging the delivery, Australia still had Beau Webster, the 31-year-old debutant who replaced Mitch Marsh and had already scored a fifty in the first innings. Webster pulled, cut, punched, and later declared, “Counting the number of runs left,” completely confident that the chase was under control. And it was—no amount of inspiration from Kohli could change that.
Then came the moment: Webster charged down the track, smashing Washington Sundar over mid-off. Webster’s roar filled the air, Head lost his composure, and Pat Cummins rushed from the dressing room to join Steve Smith in celebration. For Smith, thoughts of his 10,000th run in Galle later this month were far from his mind; in that instant, it was all about the victory.
It speaks volumes about India that, at this moment, a Test series win at home against them felt almost foreign to Australia. The last decade has been that significant. And now, it had come down to Cummins—the same man who had defeated India in the last World Test Championship final and knocked them out in Ahmedabad—securing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Read More: https://cricinside365.com/gautam-gambhir-needs-to-kick-virat-kohli-out/
