IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah - Indian cricket’s crown jewel

Jasprit Bumrah scalped a total of eight wickets in both innings combined and led India to a superb 295-run victory (BCCI Photo)

Just before lunch on Day 4 of the first Test between India and Australia in Perth, TV cameras captured Rohit Sharma in the Indian dressing-room. The skipper was having a word with head coach Gautam Gambhir and his assistant Abhishek Nayar.

A debate started on social media on its heels, whether Jasprit Bumrah should be retained as captain for the rest of the series? As frivolous as it may sound, and Rohit will assume the leadership role from the second Test onwards, Bumrah’s captaincy was top-class in the first Test, especially after the tourists were bowled out for 150 in their first innings. It's not only about him leading by example as a bowler, Bumrah was proactive as a skipper as well. Once India made early inroads, he never allowed the game to drift.

IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah and Co. humble Australia in Perth, win 1st Test by 295 runs

India went to the series against Australia as underdogs. They were without Rohit and Shubman Gill in the first Test. Very few gave them a chance, at a venue where the hosts were unbeaten in Tests before this game. The Indian team was low on confidence after suffering a home series whitewash against New Zealand.

So, what changed? To start with, India needed some inspiration on the field that their stand-in captain provided with the ball. Also, despite playing with a paltry first innings total, Bumrah kept the pressure on the opposition through his fielding settings and smart bowling changes. Against New Zealand at home, India were never ahead in the matches, tactically. Defensive field settings saw them release the pressure way too many times. The partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee in the first Test in Bangalore was a case in point. Bowling changes weren't up to scratch either. In Perth, Bumrah didn't make such mistakes.

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A bowler as cerebral as him was expected to do smart captaincy. A lot of words have been said and several column-inches have been used to analyse Bumrah’s unusual action. It's time that the experts start analysing his mind which works like a chess grandmaster. Take the case of how he worked over Nathan McSweeney in both innings. Bumrah set him up by pushing him on the back foot and once the debutant fell into the trap, he was done.

Marnus Labuschagne, bereft of any decisive footwork, decided to leave a delivery from Bumrah on length during Australia's second innings. The latter bowled a touch fuller and trapped the batsman plumb in front. He was a step ahead.

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As for Bumrah’s action, this was what former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed, currently a selector and Pakistan’s white-ball coach, told this correspondent a few years ago: “What Bumrah does is 101 per cent correct. Don’t look into how he is approaching the crease. Look at the end product and that’s perfect. Very few fast bowlers use the height so well. Very few of them transfer weight so smoothly. Also, from his run-up to delivery release, Bumrah’s entire approach is completely linear, using his energy in a straight direction. It gives him more power. To me, he has the best action in the business.”

India had a lot of performances to cherish in the first Test. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 161, Virat Kohli’s hundred, KL Rahul’s batting in both innings and contributions from the two debutants - Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana. But without Bumrah's 5/30 in the first innings and a match haul of 8/72, India wouldn't have won the Test. He was duly adjudged the Player-of-the-Match.

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