Adelaide [Australia], December 8 (ANI): Following his side’s 10-wicket loss in Adelaide in the Pink-ball test against Australia, India skipper Rohit Sharma highlighted right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah’s efforts, praising his spell but acknowledged the need for other bowlers to step up.
Travis Head’s scintillating century at home, accompanied by brilliant bowling performances from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins led Australia to a 10-wicket win at the Adelaide Oval. The victory also ensured Australia reclaimed their place atop the WTC 2025 standings.
“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,” Rohit said in the post-match press conference as quoted by the ICC.
“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,” he added, referring to Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy and others who are still finding their footing at the Test level.
While Bumrah and Siraj scalped four each in the first innings, Rana and Reddy, playing in just their second Test, combined for 22 overs and grabbed only one wicket.
Rohit further stressed his role in instilling confidence in these youngsters who are new to the international stage, “They need confidence, and it’s my job to provide it. When they play a match, they must feel assured.”
Bumrah took charge of the ball for 23 overs in the first innings in Adelaide and returned figures of 4-61. Rohit, who took over the captaincy from the pacer following the win in Perth in the first Test, addressed workload management for Bumrah, emphasizing the need for strategic planning to keep him fresh for the entire five-match Test series.
“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. 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,” the 37-year-old said.
Rohit also defended Mohammed Siraj’s on-field aggression with Travis Head, describing it as a ‘motivator’ while underlining the importance of respecting the game’s spirit.
Siraj was criticised for his actions following the dismissal of the left-hand batter, who was castled by a ripper from the pacer that saw the end of his 140-run knock.
“There’s a thin line between being aggressive and crossing the limit. As captain, it’s my responsibility to ensure we don’t cross that line. A word or two here and there doesn’t make a huge difference,” the Mumbai-born cricketer said.
‘He [Siraj] likes to get into the battle. It gives him success. As the captain, it’s my job to back that aggression. Obviously, there’s a fine line-we don’t want to cross anything that disrespects the game. In the past, we’ve seen many cricketers thrive in such battles, and Siraj is definitely one of them,” the skipper added.
The series stands tied at 1-1 and the two sides will now head to Brisbane for the third Test, scheduled to start on Saturday, December 14. (ANI)
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