Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir said that the side cannot always be dependent on star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah to get the results following the loss against Australia in the Sydney Test on Sunday. Bumrah did not bowl on Day 3 of the match due to a back spasm as Australia marched on to a dominant victory. The loss spelt the end of India's World Test Championship (WTC) Final dreams as Australia will take on South Africa in the summit clash. During the post-match press conference, Gambhir said that the defeat cannot be attributed to Bumrah's absence and pointed out that they still had a good side but were unable to get the desired result.
"First of all, I don't want to say that, since Jasprit Bumrah wasn't there, we couldn't get the result. We had our moments, and it would have been nice if he had been there. We still had 5 bowlers and a good team that shouldn't be dependent on one individual. We didn't get the result, as simple as it gets," he said.
Bumrah ended the series with 32 wickets and he was adjudged the Player Of The Series.
"Absolutely outstanding. I can't say more than that. Whenever he has come on to bowl, he has done a fabulous job. He has done everything possible from his side. He has also been helped from the other side by Mohammed Siraj and some of the young boys as well," said Gambhir.
A listless India was knocked out of the World Test Championship (WTC) final as Australia cruised to a six-wicket victory in the fifth Test on Sunday to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years, leaving the visitors with much to deliberate in a difficult transition phase made worse by over-the-hill batting stars.
Australia won the five-match series 3-1 and qualified for the WTC final against South Africa slated at the Lord's from June 11 to 15.
While Australia would be eyeing a second successive WTC mace, it would be the first time since the event's inception that India won't be in the finals. The team had finished runner-up in the previous two summit clashes.
On Sunday, the target of 162 could have been trickier for Australia had India's new Test captain Jasprit Bumrah been in a position to bowl despite painful back spasms. But once Virat Kohli led the team out, it was as clear as the Sydney skyline that defending the total would be next to impossible.
Bumrah deservedly walked away with the player of the series honour for his astonishing haul of 32 wickets in five matches. But it was hardly a consolation for the shambolic team performance that India managed, showing resilience only in brief phases.
"Little frustrating but sometimes you have to respect your body, you can't fight your body. Disappointing, probably missed out on the spiciest wicket of the series," Bumrah said of his inability to bowl in the second innings during the presentation ceremony.
Prasidh Krishna (3/65 in 12 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (1/69 in 12 overs) were not a patch on Bumrah and despite multiple breakthroughs, they bowled too many poor deliveries to make it easy for the hosts to canter home in just 27 overs.
Usman Khawaja (41), Travis Head (34 not out) and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) completed the formalities, putting an end to India's misery in a tour that has exposed all of the team's batting frailties and an unhealthy reliance on Bumrah.
(With PTI inputs)