Melbourne (Australia), December 30: Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, hailed India’s pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the “most influential player” for his team in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia secured an 184-run victory over India in the Melbourne Test, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. Bumrah played a key role with the ball, particularly in the first innings when he made crucial breakthroughs to halt Australia’s dominance. Despite Australia’s strong position, Bumrah’s quick strikes helped India mount a comeback. In the second innings, Bumrah continued to impress with figures of 9/156, making him the highest wicket-taker of the series so far with 30 wickets at an average of 12.83.
During the post-match press conference, Cummins praised Bumrah’s exceptional form and ability to challenge Australia throughout the series. “He’s been their most influential player. He’s made it difficult for us at times,” said Cummins. “All their bowlers did well, but Bumrah in particular posed the biggest threat,” he added, acknowledging the challenges posed by India’s entire bowling attack, which toiled hard despite a pitch offering little assistance.
Australia set a target of 340 runs for India on the final day. However, India could only manage 155 runs, as Australia’s bowling attack dismissed them in the 80th over. Pat Cummins was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his all-round performance with both bat and ball.