"We had decided we will not complain about being a bowler short" - Jasprit Bumrah
Ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah revealed the chat in the Indian dressing room after Umesh Yadav's calf injury. He said the team decided to not make excuses about being a bowler short and instead, wanted to make the best use of the resources.
The Indian bowlers brought their team on the cusp of victory in Melbourne. The attack, led by Bumrah and Ashwin, shot down the 2nd Australian innings to 200 all-out. India have to chase 70 runs to upshot a memorable victory.
Speaking between the innings, Jasprit Bumrah talked about making life difficult for the Aussie batsmen with their bowling.
"All of us had decided that we will not complain about being a bowler short. We just wanted to help each other and to make run-scoring hard for their batsmen. We were able to that so we are very happy," said Bumrah.
Navdeep Saini can replace Umesh Yadav for the third Test if needed. T. Natarajan and Shardul Thakur can also be roped in.
"We wanted to make everyone feel comfortable" - Jasprit Bumrah
India had added debutants Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj in the squad before the game. The duo has looked at ease in difficult conditions and one of the reasons behind it is the constant exhortation they get from the senior members of the squad. Jasprit Bumrah also talked about this communication within the team.
"We had already decided in the previous game that we knew new members were coming into the squad. So Ash (Ashwin), me, we wanted to help each other and have proper communication within the squad. We wanted to make everyone feel comfortable," he added.
On his immaculate record Down Under, Jasprit Bumrah said he avoids dwelling on stats and numbers.
"I don't look at the stats because it will put unnecessary pressure. I try to do the basics and try to keep hold of the controllable," concluded Bumrah.
Jasprit Bumrah has an average of just over 20 in Australia which is among the best in the world. He had shown the signs before but in this tour, he has truly stepped up as the leader of the Indian attack.
With a depleted lineup in for another hit with the uncertainty around Yadav's injury, Bumrah will be crucial for India's winning aspirations.