Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
In the domain of Indian cricket’s leadership, pacer Jasprit Bumrah stands out as a coveted talent. Known for his lethal combination of speed, variation, and precision, Bumrah proved to be an invaluable asset across all formats for India. Amidst speculations about the future captaincy, especially with Rohit Sharma advancing into his thirties, Bumrah emerges as a viable option.
Having already captained the team in a Test against England, the speedster is receptive to shouldering the responsibility again. It’s a rare sight to witness fast bowlers donning the captain’s hat, with Australia’s Pat Cummins being a notable exception. The right-arm pacer contemplated following Cummins’ footsteps as he envisioned a leadership role that transcends his bowling skill.
“(Cummins) plays for Australia, the number of matches differs and that kind of thing. Not many [seamers] have done it before. But it’s a good example that yes, fast bowlers are the smart ones, they do a hard job and they know what to do around the game,” Bumrah said as quoted by NDTV.
Bumrah previoulsy had memorable outing as Test captain
The yorker specialist took charge of the Indian cricket team during the rescheduled Edgbaston Test in March 2022. Now, as the Test team’s leadership beckons, he will face competition from the dynamic KL Rahul. The upcoming Test clash against England in Hyderabad will witness a significant moment as he steps in as the vice-captain, marking his first stint on home soil since March 2022. This encounter will be his 11th Test against England, a team he led in the previous face-off due to Rohit Sharma’s Covid-19 absence.
Despite India’s defeat in that memorable match, the 30-year-old’s captaincy left an indelible mark. His all-round performance included a stellar five-wicket haul and a noteworthy contribution with the bat. In the first innings, he notched an unbeaten 31 off 16 balls as he surpassed the legendary Brian Lara for the most runs scored by a batter in a single over of a Test match. His record-breaking 35 runs off Stuart Broad’s over added a thrilling chapter to his captaincy saga.