"They won two games without Bumrah" - Former cricketer's massive statement on India's transition amid ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu made a huge remark on India's transition during the away Test series against England. The visitors leveled the five-match series 2-2 after winning the final match at The Oval by six runs.

Notably, this was the first series for India without the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired from the format within the last eight months. Sidhu highlighted the talks about how this team would find it difficult to rebuild without these names, and Jasprit Bumrah as well.

However, he pointed out that the two Tests won by the visitors in the series were without Bumrah. The ace pacer played only three out of the five matches to manage his workload. They lost two matches and tied one where Bumrah played.

"People would say that Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah, and maybe Ashwin, without them it will long to build the team. But see that they won two games without Bumrah. Look at the batting. This was not a one-man show or a worship of one or two heroes. From the start till the end, from Akash Deep to Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, so many heroes emerged," he said on his YouTube channel. (3:01)

Sidhu also reflected that the performances of new players in the team, like Sai Sudharsan and a returning Karun Nair in the final Test, were crucial. Sudharsan scored a vital 38 in the first innings while Nair made 57.

He reckoned that the fruits of this draw in England would be seen when the Indian team returns and plays Test cricket at home in the future.

"The new guys who got opportunities, be it Sai Sudharsan, be it Karun Nair, there performances in the last match was worth its weight in gold. Sai Sudharsan is the future. You will see the fruit bearing of this series win when we play in India. You will see how they play with the tide then. This evolution in quick time is brilliant," he added. (5:41)

The team was also led by a new and young captain in Shubman Gill, who was on his first tour as India's Test skipper.

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Navjot Singh Sidhu believes India emerged as an established team

There were several question marks and doubts over how the young Indian team would perform in England. Many believed that the visitors would lose the series. However, Navjot Singh Sidhu reflected that they emerged as an established team at the end of the tour.

He also praised Shubman Gill for his thought process, particularly on Day 5 of the fifth Test, when India had only 35 runs to defend and four wickets to pick to win the match.

"If you look at it overall, be it the middle order, be it the openers, and lower order, and the fast bowling, India has emerged as an established team. Look at what Gill told at the press conference, we had made sure England take 30 singles, we will not give boundaries. They will will have to earn boundaries. This is such a big statement. It is a fantastic thought process. No one would have thought in their dreams that this team will establish itself in England," he said. (7:35)

It was a complete team effort. Gill led from the front with 754 runs. Openers KL Rahul (532) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (411) made significant contributions, while the likes of Rishabh Pant (479), Ravindra Jadeja (516), and Washington Sundar (284) also played key roles.

Mohammed Siraj was the leading wicket-taker of the series with 23 scalps. Bumrah (14), Prasidh Krishna (14), and Akash Deep (13) were also among the wickets.