Jasprit Bumrah Reveals He Was Offered India’s Test Captaincy

Jasprit Bumrah has ultimately spoken about India’s Test captaincy issue, saying he was actually the preference of the Ajit Agarkar-headed selection panel. Nevertheless, he declined the opportunity owing to workload worries. Following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket and Virat Kohli also doing so soon after, the selectors chose Shubman Gill to captain the team in the next England series.

BCCI Offered Jasprit Bumrah Leadership Role

“Before Rohit and Virat retired during the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI about my workloads going forward in a five-test match series. I’ve spoken to the people who have managed my back. I’ve spoken to the surgeon as well, who’s always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads. So I did speak to him, and then we came to the conclusion that I have to be a little smarter. So then I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won’t be able to give all the Test matches in a five-test match series,” Bumrah said.

Jasprit Bumrah: The First Choice For India’s Captaincy

Considering Bumrah’s status as vice-captain and his earlier experience captaining India in three Tests, one against England and two against Australia he appeared to be the obvious successor. But a history of back problems, exacerbated during the Sydney Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, changed that trajectory.

Talking in an interview with ex-wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik for SKY Sports, Bumrah revealed that he had already spoken to the BCCI officials and selectors about his workload even before Rohit and Kohli announced their retirements officially. Physiotherapists and medical experts had counselled him to maintain his physical self cautiously so that he could be long-lasting in the sport.

“Its Not Fair To The Team” Says Bumrah

“Yes, the BCCI was looking at me for leadership. But then I had to say, no, that it’s not fair for the team as well, that, you know, a five-Test match series, three matches, somebody else is leading, two matches, somebody else is leading. It’s not fair to the team. And I always wanted to put the team first,” he added.

The pace spearhead made a deliberate choice to step back from the captaincy role, citing that he did not want the team to experience inconsistency having two captains during a single Test series. Bumrah had also been out of action for the Champions Trophy as well as the initial part of the IPL due to the same injury, the second time in his career that he’s experienced a stress-related problem in his back. The first instance had sidelined him for over a year.

Jasprit Bumrah On His Workload Management

“Even if me being there as a player offers a lot more, just not as a captain. The captaincy is a post, but you always have leaders in the team. And I wanted to do that.”

“If I’m not careful, I don’t know about the future and I don’t want to be in a situation where, you know, abruptly I have to go away from this format. So I thought that for continuity, and it is only fair to the team, that you know, the team goes in that direction where they look at long term, and I could help in whatever way I can. But yeah, captaincy meant a lot. I had worked very hard for it. But unfortunately, sometimes you have to look after the bigger picture. I love cricket more than captaincy. So I want to contribute more as a cricketer and to the Indian team as a player. Then, you know, ambitions are there, but that’s how it is. And I called the BCCI and I said that I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role.”

Stressing that his preference is to play, Bumrah mentioned that in his opinion, he can help the team more by remaining fit and present for all three formats. World-renowned as one of the best fast bowlers of his era, he underlined that his concern is to look after his body and not overwork it for a leadership position.