"Celebrate Siraj, but leave Bumrah alone"- Indian legend makes big remark on bowling duo after ENG vs IND 2025 Test series

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged fans not to pull Jasprit Bumrah down after Mohammed Siraj's outstanding series against England. He said that supporters need to celebrate Siraj more for his exploits and leave Bumrah alone, and not drag them both in the same sentence.

While Siraj played all five Tests in the series, Bumrah only played three matches. He was rested for the second Test at Edgbaston and was not picked and later released from the squad during the fifth Test at The Oval.

On his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat', Ashwin said:

"When we praise a cricketer, we also tend to pull someone else down. I don't understand why we do that because in this game, we have understood that Jasprit Bumrah belongs to another level. He has done a lot for India. But considering Bumrah's physical limitations, please don't speak about him and Siraj in the same line. Celebrate Siraj, but leave Bumrah alone. He took two five-wicket hauls in this series. Siraj and Bumrah are not the same. Bumrah offers control, bowls wicket-taking balls and keeps the match in control."

"Why are we praising Siraj so much now because when others feel tired, he still runs in. He gives runs, but when things are not going the team's way, he finds a way to get a breakthrough for the captain. That's the most special thing about Siraj. He's played the Test series as a leader; this is Siraj's breaking point. This is probably the defining point of his career. Both are at different points in their careers, so don't speak about them in the same sentence".

Notably, India won the only two matches the Mumbai bowler didn't play in to draw the series 2-2. Siraj, meanwhile, was the leading wicket-taker in the five-match series with 23 scalps.

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Ravichandran Ashwin says he was a bit disappointed to not see Kuldeep Yadav play any of the five Tests

Out of the 18 members who were picked for the England tour, Kuldeep Yadav was one of the few who did not feature in any of the five Tests. Ravichandran Ashwin said that he was a little disappointed not to see the left-arm wrist spinner feature in the series.

"I was a bit disappointed that we couldn't see Kuldeep Yadav play in any of the five Tests. Earlier, I felt Kuldeep could be the answer for India to be able to win a Test series in England," he said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin felt that both sides would be happy with the 2-2 scoreline at the end of the series. He added that the drawn series would give India's head coach Gautam Gambhir some breathing space. He said:

"If you look at it from England's perspective, I think they should be happy it ended 2-2. I think India will also be happy ending up at 2-2. I was watching the celebrations, Gautam Gambhir's celebrations, the way he showed his emotion, we don't see him emoting like that. So obviously, it means the world to him. I think the drawn result will make him sit a little bit comfortably, breathe effortlessly."

July 2025 marked one year since Gautam Gambhir took over from Rahul Dravid as India's head coach. In the intervening period, India have won five and lost eight out of the 15 Tests that they have played. Two of those wins came against Bangladesh at home, one came against Australia at Perth, while two others came in England.