Jasprit Bumrah under fire for tailender wickets in India vs West Indies Test series

In the India vs West Indies Test series, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has sparked social media debate due to his wicket-taking pattern, with six of his seven dismissals targeting lower-order batsmen.

Bumra's five out of six wickets in the series have come against tail-enders. Image | BCCI on X

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has become a focal point of social media debate during the 2025 Test series against the West Indies, with many commentators scrutinizing his wicket-taking pattern. Despite his undeniable skills and recent milestones, Bumrah has faced criticism for predominantly dismissing tailenders, raising questions about his overall impact on the series.

What exactly happened?

In the ongoing India-West Indies Test series, Bumrah has taken six wickets, five of which have come from batsmen positioned between 8 and 11 in the batting order.

This trend has caught the attention of cricket fans and analysts on social media platforms, sparking debates about his effectiveness against the top-order batsmen, who typically pose a greater challenge to bowlers and have a bigger influence on a match's outcome.

A closer look at Bumrah's career statistics reveals a contrasting performance against different sections of the batting lineup.

His bowling average against the top seven batsmen stands at 28.5, which is respectable at the international level. However, his average against the lower-order batsmen is a much more impressive 11.0, highlighting his ability to consistently clean up the tail when the pressure is on. This statistical dichotomy points out that he has been more threatening against the lower-order batters.

Read Also: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play in Vijay Hazare Trophy? When and where to watch?

Fans suggest Bumrah has not shouldered the initial burden

Recently, Bumrah achieved a significant milestone by becoming the fastest Indian pacer to reach 50 home Test wickets.

This achievement underscores his sustained excellence and ability to perform in subcontinent conditions, which have traditionally been challenging for fast bowlers.

Supporters argue that his role is not necessarily to shoulder the initial burden of breaking top-order partnerships but rather to capitalize on breakthroughs by other bowlers and finish off innings efficiently by dismissing tailenders.

Read Also: IPL 2026: When is the IPL 2026 auction? When is the retention deadline?

Critics on social media tend to highlight the perception that wickets of tailenders are "easy" and do not require the same skill as dismissing top-ranked batsmen.

Even some of the fans went on to say that Mohammed Siraj, who has played all the Tests as a pacer, has been more effective against the top-order batter, and Bumrah just came in and took advantage of getting the tailenders out.

Share