‘Just a coincidence’: Sachin Tendulkar on India winning without Jasprit Bumrah | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar believes India winning two Tests against England in Jasprit Bumrah‘s absence was purely a “coincidence”, asserting that the pace ace’s quality remains “exceptional and unbelievable”. Bumrah featured in three of the five Tests in the recently concluded series, which ended in a hard-fought 2-2 draw. Notably, India won both Tests in which Bumrah did not play, as part of a pre-planned workload management strategy.Tendulkar felt that India’s victories at Birmingham and The Oval without Bumrah were more a matter of luck. He underlined Bumrah’s impact in the three matches he did play, where he claimed a total of 14 wickets.“Bumrah started off really well, got five wickets in the (first innings of the) first Test. He did not play the second Test, but (played in) the third and the fourth. Again, in (one of) those two Tests, he got (a) five wickets (haul),” Tendulkar said in his video analysis of the series on ‘Reddit’.“Of three Test that he played, he picked up five wickets twice. I know that people are discussing a number of things, that we won those Tests in which he did not play. To me, that is just a coincidence.“The quality of Bumrah is exceptional. What he has been able to do is just unbelievable so far. He has been a consistent performer without any doubt (and) I would put him right at the top with anyone else,” he added.In Bumrah’s absence, Mohammed Siraj stepped up with an outstanding effort, picking up 23 wickets across all five Tests while bowling a total of 185.3 overs.
Still, Bumrah remains well ahead in overall numbers — 219 wickets in 48 Tests, compared to Siraj’s 123 wickets in 41 matches.Bumrah sitting out the must-win fifth Test sparked debate around workload management, but the team management maintained that risking the premier pacer was not an option.Tendulkar also praised all-rounder Washington Sundar for his all-round contribution throughout the series.“Whenever he has played, he has contributed. Even if you look at the second Test match, in the fourth innings he bowled a crucial ball to Ben Stokes just before lunch on Day Five. He got him out. To me, that was one of the turning points,” Tendulkar said.“In the last Test, when it was time to hit out, he smacked 53 runs. He accelerated brilliantly.“Where it was needed to occupy the crease, he was able to do that in the fourth Test and where it was about pressing the accelerator hard, he was able to do that in the fifth Test as well. Well done, Washi…I really enjoyed it,” he added.Tendulkar also shared his perspective on the heated moment that followed India’s refusal to accept the draw offered by England captain Ben Stokes during the Manchester Test.
He defended the decision to play on, saying both Washington and Jadeja had every right to go for their centuries and that the Indian team acted in the “right spirit”.“People talk about the fourth Test match, whether those hundreds from Washington and Jadeja were in the right spirit? Why shouldn’t it be? They were playing for a draw,” Tendulkar said.“Before that, England was having a go at them, (and despite) all that if a batter is still batting, if he sees through it and towards the end of the day’s play, if he’s (still) batting… both of them, yes, they got (their) hundreds, but according to me, the series was alive.“Why should they go in (dressing room) and give that rest to England fielders and the bowlers? If they want to bowl Harry Brook or whatever, that is Ben Stokes’ choice, that is not India’s problem,” he added.Tendulkar dismissed Stokes’ reasoning that his offer to draw the match was to allow his bowlers some rest before the final Test.“…why should England bowlers be fresh in the fifth Test match?” Tendulkar asked.“Why should the (England) fielders be fresh? Do you have an answer? There is no answer.“I’m absolutely with the Indian team. Be it (Gautam) Gambhir or Shubman (Gill) or Jadeja and Washington, they decided, (and I am) 100 per cent with them.”
