Former Indian head coach criticizes bowlers, warns Bumrah is overburdened

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri on Saturday slammed the Indian bowling unit for its lacklustre performance and inability to take wickets during the ongoing Headingley Test against England.

According to Indian media, Shastri who was visibly disappointed, singled out Jasprit Bumrah as the only bowler performing up to the mark, while sharply criticising the rest of the attack for failing to support him.

"There's a big difference in levels. The concern is Bumrah and what his workload will be as the series progresses because he is the one man who is expected to pick wickets every spell he bowls," Shastri remarked.

He raised concerns about the lack of support from Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna, emphasizing that overburdening Bumrah could prove costly for India in the remainder of the series.

"I just hope someone at the other end puts their hands up," he added, highlighting the urgent need for the other bowlers to shoulder responsibility and ease the pressure on Bumrah.

India ended Day three at 90-2 in their second innings, leading by 96 runs, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 47. Sai Sudharsan scored a steady 30 before falling to Ben Stokes, while Shubman Gill remained not out as rain ended play early.

Earlier, India dropped key chances, allowing Brook and debutant Jamie Smith to frustrate the bowlers. Bumrah finished with 5-83 but not before Woakes and Carse’s late surge added 55 valuable runs. The match remains evenly poised going into Day four.

With the ball Bumrah once again shouldered the burden almost single-handedly.

In contrast, Siraj, Shardul, and Prasidh struggled throughout the innings, collectively conceding 288 runs for just five wickets, and failing to maintain consistent pressure despite India’s strong first-innings total.