Page 33 - The Indian EYE 121225

STUMP VISION DECEMBER 12, 2025 | The Indian Eye 33

ODI SERIES

India’s Bowling Under the Scanner

as Old Problems Return

India’s defeat while defending 359 against South Africa has reignited serious

concerns about its bowling depth, overdependence on Jasprit Bumrah, and puzzling
selection calls that have left the attack looking unsettled

OUR BUREAU it tough for spinners to grip the ball and limiting
seam movement. But the broader concern is India’s
Raipur
inability to adapt when conditions neutralise their
ndia’s four-wicket loss to South Africa in Rai- traditional strengths. Even with a mammoth total
pur has exposed a familiar and increasingly set up by Virat Kohli’s 102, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 105
Iworrying truth: without Jasprit Bumrah, the and KL Rahul’s unbeaten 66, India failed to build
country’s white-ball bowling looks fragile, incon- any sustained bowling pressure.
sistent and incapable of closing out high-scoring Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan pointed to
games. With the ODI series now level at 1-1, crit- India’s batting slowdown in the last 10 overs—just
icism is mounting from former players who argue 74 runs between overs 40-50—as another decisive
that India’s long-term bowling issues are both factor. But ultimately, he noted, conceding 359 on
structural and self-inflicted. any surface should have been manageable. “Last
Legendary off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was few overs while batting cost India the game,”
among the first to voice concern, saying the team Pathan posted on X, though he acknowledged the
must learn to win without its star fast bowler. “With bowlers were unable to defend the target.
Bumrah, this is a different bowling attack, and
without Bumrah, it is entirely different altogether. The larger pattern, however, extends be-
We have to learn the art of winning games without
Jasprit Bumrah,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube yond one match. India’s white-ball bowling
channel. His comments followed a night when In- has struggled for consistency for over a
dia’s bowlers, especially the seamers, struggled to
control the wet ball under heavy dew, offering little year—an issue masked by Bumrah’s bril-
threat through the innings. liance when he is available. When he isn’t,
Prasidh Krishna had a forgettable outing, con-
ceding 82 runs in 8.2 overs. Harshit Rana leaked 70 gaps in pace depth, unreliable backups,
in 10 overs, while the spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, and a lack of wicket-taking spinners be-
Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja failed to
take wickets or control the middle overs. Arshdeep come starkly visible.
Singh, with 2/54, was India’s best bowler—but even
he could not prevent South Africa from hunting The selectors’ experimental approach in the
down a huge target of 359 with four balls to spare. Jasprit Bumrah. (ANI file photo) lead-up to major tournaments has also contrib-
Harbhajan also questioned the absence of ex- uted to instability. The ODI setup has seen rapid
perienced bowlers like Mohammed Shami, and Despite being India’s top ODI bowler two rotation, with no clear hierarchy behind Bumrah,
urged management to widen its search for wick- years ago, Siraj has been overlooked for both Shami and Siraj. Young bowlers like Prasidh and
et-taking options. “Where is Shami? I don’t know ODIs and T20Is, while less experienced bowlers Harshit have shown promise but lack the control
why he is not playing… You had good bowlers and like Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna continue and temperament needed at the international level.
you have slowly sidelined them,” he said. He also to feature. “Others are playing… but Mohammed India’s spin attack is facing its own challeng-
recommended bringing Varun Chakaravarthy back Siraj is nowhere to be seen,” Chopra said, adding es. Kuldeep Yadav remains the only consistent
into the ODI setup to improve India’s spin threat. that the selectors must clarify their thinking. wicket-taker, but support around him has thinned.
The match raised another critical question: is In- The timing of Siraj’s exclusion looks even Washington Sundar is yet to become a penetrative
dia selecting the right bowlers for the right formats? stranger given India’s recent struggles with the ball. option in ODIs, while Jadeja’s role has increasing-
Former opener Aakash Chopra strongly crit- In Raipur, India’s attack could neither pick wickets ly been that of a defensive bowler rather than an
icised the continued absence of Mohammed Siraj up front nor maintain pressure in the middle overs. attacking one.
from India’s white-ball squads. “I cannot wrap my Once Aiden Markram (110) and Temba Bavuma For now, the answers remain unclear. What
head around the fact that he has become a one-for- (46) settled in, South Africa dominated India’s at- is evident, though, is that India cannot depend on
mat player. When did this happen?” Chopra tack with ease, and further partnerships—such as Bumrah alone. Until India builds a deeper and
asked, pointing out that Siraj has been a proven Matthew Breetzke’s 68 and Dewald Brevis’s explo- more reliable bowling unit, the team’s world-beat-
performer in ODIs, with 73 wickets in 47 matches sive 54—left India with no answers. ing batting will continue to be undermined by an
at an average of 24.67. Heavy dew undoubtedly played a role, making attack that struggles when it matters most.

www.TheIndianEYE.com