Monty Panesar Made A Bold Statement On Jasprit Bumrah: Team India’s 2-2 draw in the five-match Test series against England last week was a fitting result for what was an intense, see-saw battle between two strong sides. Fans were treated to some high-quality cricket throughout, with both teams exchanging blows right until the end.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna Seal the Deal at The Oval
The final match at The Oval turned out to be a thrilling series-decider. India pulled off a well-earned victory, thanks to a brilliant performance by fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna on the last day.
Mohammed Siraj picked up three of the last four wickets to complete a five-wicket haul, while Prasidh grabbed four in England’s second innings. Their efforts helped India defend a tough target of 374, one of the highest in fourth-innings history.
Winning Without Jasprit Bumrah: A Statement Victory for India
What made the win even more impressive was that India managed it without their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who didn’t play in either of the two matches India won. Before the match, many fans and experts had already written off India’s chances without their pace spearhead.
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Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes this was a big moment for captain Shubman Gill and team India. He said Shubman Gill proved that India could win even without Bumrah.
“But the biggest factor, as for Shubman here, is that he can win Test matches without Jasprit Bumrah. That’s a massive acclaim. The best bowler in the world. He doesn’t need him. I think India can win Test matches without Jasprit Bumrah. I think that’s the biggest achievement from his captaincy,” Panesar told Hindustan Times.
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Monty Panesar even suggested that Jasprit Bumrah might not be needed for home Tests going forward.
“I think it’s good if he does play the overseas Test matches, and probably you don’t need him for home Test matches. India can beat any team at home probably without him, but for overseas Tests, he is the X-factor. They can probably tell him that we no longer need you for home Tests. But for the away Tests, we definitely do,” he added.
He also had high praise for Mohammed Siraj, especially regarding his ability to handle long spells and workload.
“Well, it just shows that Mohammed Siraj is the key now. They’ve got to build an attack around him. And his fitness is very important. Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t have the fitness to play the five Test matches. So, he’s again, in and out, kind of the guy to come in. But Mohammed Siraj can win the games now. As Bumrah has the X-factor, Mohamed Siraj is the key to whether they have a series win or not. So, for an overseas series away from India, Mohammed Siraj is very important now for Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill,” said Panesar.
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