The contrasts between what happened during the 2025 season and how India performed in Tests are likely to make 2025 a memorable season. When looking at their overall winning percentage of 40% (won four tests, lost five tests, and drew one test of ten), the number suggests that they were an average team in the world of cricket, but certainly not a top-level cricket nation.
The stat sheet does tell the story of how brilliant bowling spells were made by individuals who lacked the cohesive rhythm as a group. The fast bowlers set the stage ablaze at both The Oval and Birmingham, but the once-feared spinning fortress at home was torn apart by the Proteas. There wasn’t a lack of firepower; there was simply a lack of cohesion. Who stepped up to be the load carriers, and who found it hard to get into a consistent length for the bowling spell. Let’s take a look at the top 5 wicket takers from last year that showed us what chaos can look like.
Mohammed Siraj (43 Wickets)
Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj, or “The Engine,” was unmatched in terms of reliability and finished the series taking a record 43 wickets in 10 test matches. Since Mohammed Siraj participated in all ten of the ten test games, his physical stamina and competitive drive were on full display. The 27.20 bowling average also illustrates his ability to produce results from his constant hard work and determination.
Of all of Siraj’s fine performances throughout the summer, none can compare to the very strong 6-70 that Siraj threw down at Edgbaston in England as part of an incredibly big win for England; and then at The Oval with 9 wickets in the match, when Siraj showed a cool hand to allow India to take a 6-run lead over England. In each case, Siraj provided the spark the team needed to create energy as they struggled to maintain momentum when the tide seemed to be against them. While their overall results were somewhat inconsistent, Siraj was undoubtedly the best “horse” for the Indian bowling staff.
Jasprit Bumrah (31 Wickets)
Jasprit Bumrah
Cricket has probably never seen anything as heartbreaking as when a fast bowler delivers incredible bowling performances that ultimately lead to a loss for his team. In this regard, the year 2025 was that type of Jasprit Bumrah’s season; Bumrah took 31 wickets in just eight Test Matches with an incredibly low average of 22.16, making him statistically and visually India’s best and most feared bowler.
Bumrah took three five-wicket hauls, but each time it seemed like he was performing on his own as India lost every match in which he achieved a five-wicket haul. He was magnificent, taking 5/83 in Leeds, 5/74 in London, and 5/27 in Kolkata, but for most of that season, the other batters could barely keep the opposition below par. The ace fast bowler performed well over and above what his teammates provided to him, but ultimately, cricket is a team sport, and Bumrah had many times when he was basically by himself trying to hold back an ever-rising tide.
Ravindra Jadeja (25 Wickets)
Ravindra Jadeja
Usually, the heartbeat of India’s home dominance, Ravindra Jadeja’s 2025 bowling returns, offers a confusing picture. While he accumulated 25 wickets across 10 matches, his average ballooned to 38.20, a figure almost unrecognizable for a man who usually eats touring batters for breakfast on Indian soil.
He had four of four wickets four times; however, he produced two good spells in opposition to South Africa (four for fifty at Eden Gardens) and England (four for one hundred forty three in Manchester). However, he did not have the deadly reliability this season that made him so tough to score runs off of. His batting continued to be among the best, but his failure to bowl teams out on his home soil – as evidenced by the series loss to the Proteas showed there was a first time for everything in terms of a drop-off from his previously almost impenetrable bowling skills.
Key Takeaway
India’s 2025 was a year of “Soloists over Symphony,” brilliant individual arias from the pacers that couldn’t quite mask the team’s discordant rhythm.
FAQs
1. Who was India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests in 2025?
Mohammed Siraj topped the charts with 43 wickets across 10 matches.
2. Why was Jasprit Bumrah’s 2025 season considered unlucky?
Despite taking three five-wicket hauls and averaging a stunning 22.16, India lost the match on all three occasions where he took a fifer.
3. What was India’s final win-loss record in Tests for 2025?
India played 10 Tests, winning four, losing five, and drawing one (Win percentage: 40%).
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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