'Only coincidence,' Sachin Tendulkar dismisses India winning without Bumrah narrative

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has defended fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah amid claims that India performs better without him.

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Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has thrown his weight behind premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, denying the emerging narrative that Team India performs better in his absence. This comes after India's recent 2-2 draw in the hard-fought Test series against England, where India's wins came in the two matches when Bumrah was rested.

During the England tour, Jasprit Bumrah, the top-ranked ICC Test bowler, played in three of the five matches as part of his 'workload management.' Despite a strong individual performance that included two five-wicket hauls, the team's results in the matches he played led to criticism from some quarters.

The narrative that India lost matches in which he played was gaining traction, a point Tendulkar was keen to address.

In a video analysis on 'Reddit', Tendulkar highlighted Bumrah's significant contributions. "Bumrah started off really well, got five wickets in the (first innings of the) first Test. He did not play the second Test, but (played in) the third and the fourth. Again, in (one of) those two Tests, he got (a) five wickets (haul)," he stated.

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Sachin then firmly dismissed the idea that India's wins were linked to Bumrah's absence, marking it a mere "coincidence." He highlighted Bumrah's exceptional talent and consistent performance over the years. "Of three Test that he played, he picked up five wickets twice. I know that people are discussing a number of things, that we won those Tests in which he did not play. To me, that is just a coincidence," Tendulkar added.

Bumrah's series started brilliantly with a five-wicket haul in the first innings at Headingley. He repeated the feat at Lord's, getting his name on the prestigious honours board. However, the team was unable to secure wins in either of those matches.

Tendulkar concluded with high praise for the fast bowler, underscoring his value to the Indian team across all formats. "The quality of Bumrah is exceptional. What he has been able to do is just unbelievable so far. He has been a consistent performer without any doubt (and) I would put him right at the top with anyone else,” he remarked.

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