Is Indian pace attack ready for the Border Gavaskar Trophy challenge?

As India prepares to redeem themselves in the series against New Zealand, Gautam Gambhir addressed some burning queries about the squad ahead of the second Test. The head coach, in a stern manner, opined that buzz on social media and chatter among the fraternity or fans won’t affect the team selection. Moreover, the former player discussed managing the workload of India’s primary pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. India, having completed one of its home Test assignments and pitched in the midst of another, is preparing hard for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Moreover, as the team continues to play without Shami, it is essential to ensure the fitness of Bumrah for the Australia tour.

Gautam Gambhir discusses the workload of Jasprit Bumrah ahead of Border Gavaskar Trophy

Jasprit Bumrah has played all three home Tests that India has competed in so far across the Bangladesh and New Zealand series. While the home side secured a commanding series win over Bangladesh, the team struggled significantly in the first India vs New Zealand Test. Thus, when India takes the field against the Kiwis in Pune, the team needs to be at their finest to pull the series in their favour. With the series hanging in the balance, Gambhir isn’t likely to rest Jasprit Bumrah as of now. According to the Indian head coach, the discussion about the workload management of the bowlers will come up after the New Zealand Test in Pune.

"Once the series is over, we still have around 10 or 12 days before the Test starts in Australia. So, that's enough break for our fast bowlers as well. But we will still monitor after this Test match where Jasprit Bumrah is,” Gambhir said.

"But it's not only about Jasprit Bumrah," he added, "It's about all the fast bowlers as well. We want to keep them fresh. We know that obviously we've got a long tour and an important tour of Australia. But workload management will definitely depend on what the outcome of this Test match is and how much they have bowled in this Test match."

Can India prepare a lethal pace line-up for Border Gavaskar Trophy?

The Border Gavaskar Trophy is slated to start on November 22 this year at Perth. However, India will kick-start the Australia tour on November 15 with a warm-up clash against the touring India A side, which will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad. While India has won the last four editions of the BGT, including two series wins on the Kangaroos’ home ground, claiming victory in the upcoming five-match challenge will not be an easy task. The India squad has transformed considerably since their last tour of Australia. Moreover, with the team depending mostly on the spin duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for home Tests, it will be a challenging transition when the onus falls on the pace lineup in the BGT.

Currently, India is in a precarious position concerning the pace department in red-ball cricket. Mohammed Shami has not played any matches for almost a year now due to his ankle injury. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have shared the load among themselves, with Akash Deep earning a spot in the playing XI. While Akash Deep turned up with impressive spells during the England and Bangladesh series, he is on the bench for the New Zealand Tests as India undertakes a spin-heavy approach on home turf.

A point of concern for India to address before the Australia tour would be the form of Siraj. In Shami’s absence, it is utterly important for both Bumrah and Siraj to show up in the series. However, Siraj has struggled with his numbers in red-ball cricket recently, failing to create the impact expected of a pacer of his calibre. Across the eight Tests, 14 innings to be specific, that India has played in 2024, Siraj has managed only 12 wickets. With Siraj blowing hot and cold and Shami unavailable, the squad needs to focus intricately on Bumrah’s fitness.

Furthermore, with just a few days remaining before the India Tour of Australia, India needs to lock in a pace all-rounding option. Shardul Thakur, currently playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, assisted the team in the last edition. The seamer played one of the key roles in India’s historic Gabba breach. However, the all-rounder last played for the team back in 2023. According to the latest reports, the selectors are eyeing youngster Nitish Kumar Reddy for the all-important series. Reddy is part of the India A squad that will head to Australia ahead of the main series. Reportedly, his performance down under for the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side will decide whether India opts for a new pick or goes with Shardul Thakur once again for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.