Gautam Gambhir talks about Jasprit Bumrah’s injury

India faced a significant setback in the second innings with Jasprit Bumrah unable to bowl due to a back injury. Bumrah, the team’s standout bowler on the tour with 32 wickets in nine innings, had been instrumental in keeping India competitive throughout the series.  

Despite the blow, head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized that Bumrah’s absence was not the sole reason for India’s defeat.  

“First of all, I don’t want to say that because Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t there, we couldn’t get the result,” Gambhir said. “Obviously, we had our moments, and it would have been nice if he had been there. But we still had five bowlers, and a good team wins without depending on one individual,”  he added.  

He further added, “Yes, we didn’t get the result. It’s as simple as that. We lost the series.”  

Bumrah left the match midway on Day 2 due to a back injury. While he returned to bat for India, he did not bowl in the second innings. When asked about Bumrah’s condition, Gambhir admitted that there was no concrete update.  

“Not at the moment. Honestly, the medical team is working on him, so we will provide the right update at the right time,” he said.  

Despite losing the series, Gambhir highlighted several positives, praising the performance of young players and singling out Mohammed Siraj for his exceptional attitude and effort.  

“There are a lot of positives, not just some, but a lot. Many of these boys were on their first tour to Australia, which is tough to handle. And it’s been years since we had a five-Test match series,” Gambhir said.  

He mentioned the contributions of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep, while reserving special praise for Siraj.  

“I don’t remember a player who has run in for every ball, even when not fully fit, and shown such commitment to playing for the country. That’s the kind of attitude we need. We fought till the end, and Siraj’s attitude was absolutely fantastic,” Gambhir said.  

He also praised Bumrah’s stellar series performance and acknowledged Jaiswal and others for their contributions with the bat.  

India’s loss secured Australia’s place in the ICC World Test Championship 2025 final. Despite the series defeat, Gambhir believes the young players’ performances provide hope for India’s future in Test cricket.