"Don't want to say because Jasprit wasn't there we lost" - Gautam Gambhir opens up on fast-bowler's absence on Day 3 of BGT 2024-25 5th Test

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed Jasprit Bumrah's absence in the final innings of the fifth Border-Gavaskar series Test in Sydney. The spearhead was unavailable to bowl due to a back injury he sustained during the first innings, as Australia romped away to a six-wicket win to clinch the series and a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.

Bumrah had been taken for scans during the second session on Day 2, and reports claimed that a call regarding his participation would be taken on the morning of Day 3. Despite donning his whites, and coming out to bat, Bumrah did not step out onto the field for the final innings. Virat Kohli led the side in the pacer's absence.

The remainder of the bowling attack, comprising largely of Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj could not make a significant impact. Australia coasted to the target in 27 overs to end the series.

Gambhir asserted that the team would not use Bumrah's absence in the final innings as an excuse for the defeat in the fifth Test.

"I don't want to say that because Jasprit wasn't there that we could not get the result. We had our moments. Yes we didn't get the results, we still had five bowlers. A good team is one, which is not dependent on one individual," Gambhir said during the post-match presentation (via RevSportz)

Gambhir further lavished praise on the pacer, who was declared as player of the series for his historic campaign which resulted in 32 wickets across the five-match affair.

"Absolutely outstanding. I think he's led the attack pretty well, he bowled a lot of overs. Whenever he has come onto bowl, he has done a fabulous job. He's done everything possible from his side. He's been helped a lot by the guys from the other end as well," he added

The extent of Bumrah's injury remains to be seen. The team have a small break before the home bilateral series against England, which will be followed by the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"The person sitting here will be the first one to accept his mistake" - Gautam Gambhir

The spotlight is firmly on Gambhir after a second successive Test series defeat, which leads to several questions being raised, marking a tough time for the side. However, the head coach strongly suggested that he does not intend to refute the mistakes, and instead intends to deal with them head-on.

"The person sitting here will be the first one to accept his mistakes, so don't worry thinking that mistakes won't be accepted here. We had our moments, where we could have won the series," Gambhir said

He admitted that the series was there for the taking across several moments in the series. The head coach highlighted the second-innings collapse in Melbourne, and the poor batting display in the second innings in Sydney.

"If you look at that one session in Melbourne and had we come here at 1-1, then the pressure on Australia might have been greater. We had our moments in this game as well, had we batted better in the second innings, and put up a target of 250-275 runs, it would have been difficult for them," he added

India, who began the day with four wickets in hand, could only add 16 runs to their overnight score. Australia made easy work of the 162-run target to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy.