BCCI Asked Tough Questions Over Ravichandran Ashwin's Shock Retirement, Team Management Under Fire

During India's 2024-25 tour of Australia, R Ashwin announced his sudden retirement from international cricket. He called time on his career after the third Test.

India's historic twin Test series victories in Australia were greatly influenced by their impressive bowling line-up. However, the gap between Jasprit Bumrah and the other bowlers was clear in their recent 3-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series loss to Australia. While Bumrah stood head and shoulders above everyone by picking 32 wickets in his 151.2 overs at an average of 13.06 and strike rate of 28.4, India's other pacers comprising Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy took 40 scalps in 351 overs, with their average and strike-rate reading 34.82 and 52.6 respectively.

The inexperience of pacers and over-reliance on Bumrah does raise questions on India's fast-bowling stocks for the future. Sunil Joshi, ex-India spinner and chief selector during India's 2-1 series victory in Australia in 2020/21, is optimistic about the fast-bowling prospects but felt India missed having a left-arm pacer in their line-up.

"No, because we already have Troy Cooley, he's been in NCA, and is looking after the fast bowling pool. So, I don't think there should be any worry. But definitely, we did miss a left-arm seamer in that line-up.

"If a left-arm seamer would have been there, then there would have been a little bit of change in angles because most of the Australian, English or New Zealand batters, they are not very comfortable for the left-arm seamer because you're taking the ball away with a different angle.