January 6, 2025: Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has lauded Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), stating that without Bumrah, India would have suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Australia, rather than the 3-1 loss that occurred. Bumrah was instrumental in leading India’s fight against the World Test Championship (WTC) holders, playing a central role in almost every match of the five-match series.
Harbhajan, speaking on his YouTube channel, was full of praise for Bumrah’s efforts, particularly emphasizing how crucial he was to India’s performance. He pointed out that Bumrah’s contributions were key to India’s survival in the series, especially in the opening match in Perth, where his performance helped India to a record-shattering 295-run victory. According to Harbhajan, Bumrah’s efforts were so impactful that without him, India would likely have suffered a 5-0 or 4-0 defeat in the series.
“If Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t in this tour, the series would have ended 5-0. Jassi saved India in Perth. After Adelaide, he saved India in the rest of the matches,” Harbhajan remarked, acknowledging that Bumrah was by far the standout performer for India.
Bumrah finished the series as India’s highest wicket-taker, ending with an impressive 32 wickets, which made him the highest wicket-taker by an Indian bowler in a Test series against Australia on Australian soil. His performance included three five-wicket hauls, with his best figures being 6/76 in one of the matches. Bumrah achieved this remarkable tally at an exceptional average of 12.64, further solidifying his reputation as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.
Harbhajan also highlighted that Bumrah’s brilliance was acknowledged globally, with Travis Head of Australia calling it the best individual performance he had witnessed in the format. Bumrah’s stellar display not only earned him the Player of the Series award but also broke a significant record set by Bishan Singh Bedi, who had taken 31 wickets during the 1977-78 tour of Australia.
In sum, Harbhajan’s comments underscore how critical Bumrah’s performances were in preventing a larger margin of defeat for India. His dominance with the ball was arguably the only silver lining in a difficult series for the Indian team.
