Ashwin backs Jasprit Bumrah for captaincy role in Gautam Gambhir era: 'He deserves captaincy but...'

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for a leadership role in the Indian Test team under the new head coach Gautam Gambhir. Ever since Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from red-ball cricket, there have been speculations on who would be his successor.

Ashwin backs Bumrah

Speaking on the latest episode of his YouTube show Ash ki baat, Ashwin praised Bumrah and said that he could be a strong option for captaincy in the coming months. However, Ashwin acknowledged that the decision will ultimately be made by Indian selectors based on Bumrah’s “physical capacity.”

“I would definitely say it is the beginning of the Gautam Gambhir era. The team that Gambhir will take to England for five Tests will be a completely new team, a completely transformed team where Jasprit Bumrah would possibly be the senior-most player,” Ashwin said.

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“Obviously, he is also an option for captaincy. I believe he deserves the captaincy, but the Indian selectors will take a decision based on his physical capacity,” Ashwin added. Ashwin believes that managing Bumrah’s fitness will be important since he is a fast bowler and prone to injuries.

Bumrah has been one of India’s top performers in Test cricket over the years. He has also led the Indian team before during the 2022 tour of England when Rohit Sharma was injured and during the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match last year as Rohit was back home due to the birth of his second child.

Shubman Gill also in the race

Many believe he has the leadership qualities to guide India in red-ball cricket. However, some reports suggest that the Indian team management is looking at Shubman Gill as the next captain of the Test team. According to reports, Bumrah is said to have turned down a captaincy offer, citing that he might not be available for every series due to workload management.

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With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having retired from Test cricket, the Indian team is heading into a new era. Kohli dropped the bombshell on Monday, just days after Rohit confirmed his departure from the longest format. It will be interesting to see how the new team shapes up under Gambhir’s coaching now.