Searching for ideal workers? Look for Siraj, Akash Deep, not Bumrah

Cricket: The defining image of India’s first-ever Edgbaston win in many ways is Mohammad Siraj diving on the green to stop a boundary, only to slide face-first into a pile of sawdust. That one act – always tricky for a quickie to put themselves in harm’s way while fielding – showed his commitment to the job at hand, which was to win the game for captain and country. 

Operating under the shadow of the genius of Bumrah, Siraj had a tough outing in the first Test. He bowled 41 overs, picking up 2 wickets, giving away 173 runs with an average of 86.5 – more than 2.5 times higher than his career average of 30.9. By contrast, Bumrah bowled 43 overs, picking up five wickets at an average of 28.0, which was also higher than his career average.

Despite this setback, Siraj came into the bowl knowing he was now the senior partner in the firm, Bumrah having been rested for injury. And he lived up to that responsibility, not just with his five-fer in the first innings but also match haul of seven wickets. Siraj ended with figures of seven off 31.3 overs for 127 runs at a miserly average of 18.14, which is half his career average.

Siraj: Positivity Injection

His contribution in the field was beyond the spectacular one-handed catch he took to dismiss Tongue. He is also a constant injection of positivity on the field, giving his all, whatever the stage and state of the game.

On the other side, Akash Deep kept out of the first game, coming in and making the best of the chance he was given. He ended up with a 10-wicket haul, a remarkable achievement for any bowler at any level. But his real value was to make consistency spectacular.

After the game, Akash told the media that he always believed England’s weather and pitches would offer swing and movement. This belief was broken very quickly. But he picked up the strand very soon in terms of both line and length. Simply bowling on the same spot till the pitch helped him get those 10 wickets. This was not sublime swing or fast yorkers or even threatening bouncers—just focused, stay-with-the-plan attacking deliveries. The reward was not just for him, but for an exceptional individual who recognises his capabilities and understands the expectations placed upon him by the entire team and the nation.

Playing just his eighth Test match, the man from Bihar’s Sasaram got a 10-wicket haul for 187 runs at an average of 18.7 runs, against a (short) career average of 28.6 runs.

Absence of Genius

Make no mistake: Bumrah is still head-and-shoulders the best bowler that India has and currently the world of cricket is seeing. He is a once-in-a-generation genius who knows his capabilities and what is required of him in any given situation. Like geniuses, he needs to be nurtured rather than overused. 

But when that genius is missing, whatever the job -- it is the consistent, dependable team members who will stand up and perform. A successful manager needs to be aware of who the consistent players are and deploy them at their best positions, something that the young Shubhman Gill and coach Gambhir did very well in the second Test.

If a successful team has to perform at its peak even when its top performers are missing, India’s strategy is a case study for putting the edge in Egbaston.