Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep - Who should open the bowling with Jasprit Bumrah in the remaining two BGT 2024-25 Tests?

The spotlight has been cast heavily on the Indian batters for their flaws in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, but Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance has covered a lot of the cracks in the bowling department. The continuation of such a one-dimensional bowling attack brings the impact of the support bowlers in question.

Not much can be argued about Nitish Kumar Reddy and the spin bowlers, but the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep have to step up and assist Bumrah from the other end. While both have had their moments in the series, they have arguably been limited because of performing the wrong role.

Siraj, being the senior bowler after Bumrah in the setup, has taken the new ball from the other end, just like he has done since Shami's absence due to injury. The pacer has had mixed results so far, and inconsistency is one trait that cannot be tolerated in this role.

The new ball charge is not only important to negate the threat of the Australian top-order, but to also expose their counter-attacking players like Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Alex Carey before the ball gets soft and the intensity wears down.

On that note, let us take a look at who should open the bowling with Jasprit Bumrah in the remaining two BGT 2024-25 Tests between Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj.

#1 Full length comes more naturally to Akash Deep

Figuring out the right length has been a time-consuming process for India in Australia so far. Finding the key areas with the new ball is essential, but in the visitors' case, by the time they figure out the correct length, they have lost the luxury of the new ball.

Even if Bumrah is a bit astray with his bowling area, it is still difficult for the batters to negotiate him. But the same cannot be said for his supporting bowlers. If they miss the ideal areas, the batters will easily leave or defend or dispatch with ease.

It is important to make the batters play against the new ball, and bowl at or around the stumps to bring all three common modes of dismissal into play. With the bounce on Australian surfaces, bowlers have to pitch the ball further up to stand a chance of hitting the top of stumps. Not too full enough to be driven, but also not too short to be defended.

Indian bowlers are so used to bowling back-of-the-length deliveries on subcontinent tracks that it takes a while to make the change, or get used to it.

When it comes to fuller lengths, Akash Deep looks much more comfortable than Siraj. He also has a brilliant record against left-handed batters, which will ensure that Usman Khawaja will be put under pressure from both ends, with Bumrah already dismissing him four times in this series.

Although not a bonafide swing bowler per se, Akash Deep does make the ball talk with seam movement, and can also get it to skid through, making him a perfect complement for Bumrah from the other, when compared to Siraj.

#2 Mohammed Siraj better exponent of the scrambled seam than swing

From a statistical perspective, Siraj is having more than a decent series. With 13 wickets in three Tests at an average of 23.92, he ideally has the numbers a second seamer should. However, considering he has had access to the new ball, he was expected to be responsible for the dismissals of the top-order batters.

Instead, only four of his dismissals have accounted for the departure of top-order batters. The rest have come against batters at either No. 5 or below, making him a much better candidate to get the old ball to nip around with the scrambled seam, and wipe out the tail.

Akash Deep, on the other hand, has taken 13 wickets in four Tests in his career so far, out of which 10 have been opening batters.

Siraj's intensity is also something that India could use to maintain the pressure after the new ball bowlers are done with their opening spells. It will ensure that the momentum is maintained, not giving any room for the Australian batters to capitalize on.

#3 Australia's top-order has been relatively comfortable facing Siraj with the new ball

Siraj has opened the bowling with Bumrah six times in the series, and he has ended up wicket-less in his first spell five times. The only time he struck immediately with the new ball was during the second innings in the Perth Test, when he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne.

Apart from the wickets, he has just not put enough pressure on the Australian top order to make Bumrah's task easier from the other end.

Akash Deep, on the other hand, introduced in just the eighth over in Brisbane, had an instant impact, testing the Australian top-order. He beat the edge on many occasions and induced almost as many false shots as Bumrah on the day. But he was largely unlucky not to dismiss Steve Smith early, with the batter initially struggling to get his eyes in. He induced several false strokes, had pinned the batters, but had to wait for his 30th over for a wicket.

To conclude, while it may be against the hierarchy and the pecking order, all factors indicate that it should be Akash Deep sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah in the Boxing Day Test.