Jasprit Bumrah: 'Virat Kohli doesn't need us, we need him'

In the match where India defeated Australia by 295 runs, another significant highlight was Virat Kohli's return to form. After a period of continuous failure, Virat’s bat finally found some runs. After 16 months, he scored a century in the Test format. However, due to his recent struggles, Kohli had been the subject of criticism. Now, Jasprit Bumrah, who captained the team in the Perth Test, has opened up on the issue surrounding Virat.

Bumrah, commenting on Kohli, said, “We don’t need Virat in the team, but the team needs him.” Bumrah’s statement seemed to serve as a response to the critics.

Rohit Sharma, who recently became a father, could not participate in the Perth Test. Bumrah took over the captaincy in his absence, marking his second Test match as captain. At the end of the Test, Bumrah faced the media, and one reporter asked him, “What do you have to say about Virat’s innings?”

In response, Bumrah said, “I have said before that we don’t need Virat, but we need him. He is an experienced cricketer. This is his fourth or fifth tour of Australia. He knows his game better than anyone else. He looked mentally prepared out there.”

He further added, “In a long career, you face many tough situations. Virat has batted through many such situations. However, it is not always possible to perform well in every match. But this time, he seemed to be in good form. He got out in the first innings to a good ball, but in the second innings, he seized the opportunity. At that time, we needed an experienced player. We needed someone who could not only play but also help others advance their game. I am really happy with that. When an experienced player like him regains his confidence at the start of a series, you can’t ask for anything more.”

The second Test of the series will begin on December 6 in Adelaide.