January 2, 2025: Australia captain Pat Cummins lauded India’s Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the Sydney Test, praising the talismanic pacer’s ability to bowl consistently well and remain a significant challenge for any batsman. Despite India’s defeat in the Melbourne Test, Bumrah’s performance stood out, as he was a key player in India’s comeback attempt.
In the first innings, when Australia was in control, Bumrah took three quick wickets to rein in the Australian charge. Even in the second innings, he continued to impress, finishing with match figures of 9 wickets for 156 runs, proving his mettle under challenging circumstances. With 30 wickets at an outstanding average of 12.83, Bumrah is currently the highest wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
During a pre-match press conference ahead of the Sydney Test, Pat Cummins acknowledged Bumrah’s skill and competitiveness. He remarked, “There’s no doubt he’s bowling well at the moment, he’s always tough. Hopefully, by the time I come in, he’s well into his late in the day and he’s bowled a fair bit which makes it a little bit easier for me. But he always poses a challenge.” Cummins, who has faced Bumrah in various formats across the world, clearly respects the Indian pacer’s capabilities and sees him as a constant threat.
The Sydney Test is the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and despite India being behind in the series (currently trailing 2-1), Cummins’ comments underscore the fact that Bumrah remains one of the toughest competitors in world cricket.
On the team front, Australia made a surprise selection for the Sydney Test, bringing in Beau Webster for his debut, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh being dropped. This makes Webster the third debutant for Australia in this series, joining Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney.
The stage is now set for the final showdown at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3, where Australia will look to seal the series, while India will be hoping for a strong response to end the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on a high note.
