Bumrah can’t bowl from both ends: Rohit defends captaincy calls in 2nd Test

India captain Rohit Sharma defended his management of Jasprit Bumrah during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, addressing criticism that he had underutilised the star fast bowler. Rohit emphasised that winning a Test match or a series is a collective effort, and one cannot expect a single individual to shoulder the entire burden.
Jasprit Bumrah, who captained the Indian side in the Perth Test, bowled 30 overs, bringing himself into the attack whenever a breakthrough was needed. Bumrah pushed himself, delivering 18 overs in the first innings and 12 in the second to inspire a commanding 295-run victory in Perth.
AUS vs IND, pink-ball Test Day 3 Highlights
At the Adelaide Oval, the captaincy returned to Rohit Sharma, and India appeared to lack energy and potency with the ball. Bumrah bowled 11 of the 33 overs on Day 1 with the pink ball. However, he was used sparingly on Day 2, delivering only four overs in the first session while Australia seized the momentum. Despite taking two early wickets, Bumrah’s absence during Travis Head’s counterattack raised questions about Rohit’s handling of his premier pacer.
Addressing the criticism, Rohit explained why it is impractical to depend on Bumrah for every critical moment.
“Right now, I won’t be thinking about Sydney at all. We need to think about what we need to do in Brisbane. And, look, it’s a great thing to have someone like Bumrah, but he is not going to be the only one who is going to do the job all the time. We saw Siraj, along with Bumrah, when he got those four wickets, the responsibility was shared,” Rohit said after India’s 10-wicket defeat in Adelaide on Sunday, 8th December.
“That’s what we look forward to. Bumrah will not get wickets at times, and the other guys need to step in. That’s how we talk in the batting group as well, ‘x, y, z’ would not be scoring runs all the time. Everyone in the team understands that. It’s just not about one individual or two; if you want to win a Test or a series, everyone has to share the responsibility, put their hand up, and get the job done. That’s something I have always seen in this team,” Rohit added.
The India captain elaborated on the decision-making process, shedding light on his discussions with Bumrah about workload and fitness.
“I keep talking to him (Bumrah) during his spells, asking how his body is holding up. It’s a five-Test series, and we want Bumrah to be fresh and play all five matches. It’s important to analyse these things; workload management is crucial,” he explained.
“Planning always happens. You can’t expect Bumrah to bowl from both ends, from morning to evening. It’s important to manage the bowlers. We talk to them and then make decisions.”
Rohit gave Harshit Rana an extended five-over spell on the morning of Day 2, following Nitish Reddy’s lone over, which yielded the crucial wicket of Marnus Labuschagne.
Stressing the importance of building confidence in young bowlers, Rohit added: “We are not playing with just one bowler; there are others who must take responsibility. Be it Siraj, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, or Nitish Reddy, these players are new to the team. They need confidence, and it’s my job to provide it. When they play a match, they must feel assured.”
Despite the efforts of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled their hearts out, Australia posted a first-innings total of 357, leaving India on the back foot.
India were dismissed for 180 and 175, with key players, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, failing to contribute with the bat. Australia required just 19 runs to secure victory in the second Test, achieving it in only 2.2 overs to level the series at 1-1.
India will now look to reconsider their bowling combination as they prepare to face Australia in the third Test in Brisbane on Saturday, December 14.