Make Jasprit Bumrah Test captain: Sunil Gavaskar rubbishes workload concerns

India Today

13-05-2025

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has backed Jasprit Bumrah to take over as India's next Test captain, brushing aside concerns over the pacer's workload. Gavaskar's remarks come at a time when the selectors are preparing to name Rohit Sharma's successor, with India scheduled to play a five-match away Test series against England starting June 20.With both Rohit and Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket in the span of five days, the leadership mantle is up for grabs. Bumrah, who has previously led India in the red-ball format, has emerged as a top contender due to his recent performances and calm leadership style. Gavaskar believes that as a fast bowler, Bumrah is best equipped to manage his own workload and make on-field decisions that align with his physical demands.advertisement"Who better to know what is the workload for himself than himself? If you appoint somebody else, they would always want an extra over from Bumrah. If he is your No. 1 bowler, he will himself know that 'yes, this is the time I must take a break'. To me, it has to be Jasprit Bumrah only. I know all these kind of speculation going around his workload and all that. Give it to him so that he knows how many overs to bowl, when to take him off, when to sort of rest. That would be the best thing," Gavaskar said.
"He (Bumrah) may not have to miss a Test match. If you give it him, he might know when to stop before his body starts to crumble. For me, give it to him. After the first Test, there is an eight-day gap. There's enough time to recover. Then, there are two back-to-back Test matches. That's fine. There's then another gap. If you give him the captaincy, he will be the best person to know when to bowl," he added.advertisementBumrah had earlier captained India during the 2022 Birmingham Test against England and again during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25. Under his leadership, India secured a commanding 295-run win over Australia in Adelaide—their biggest win by runs in Australia—and he also led the side in the Sydney Test earlier this year when Rohit sat out.However, recent reports have suggested that Bumrah may have ruled himself out of contention for the role, citing the difficulty of committing to all five Tests due to workload management. The selectors are now reportedly considering Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as the primary candidates for the position. Gill, who already serves as vice-captain in white-ball cricket, has impressed with his leadership in IPL 2025 before the tournament's suspension.Despite this, Gavaskar remains firm in his stance that Bumrah should be handed the responsibility. He believes that giving the captaincy to the pacer would allow him to better judge when to push and when to pull back, both for himself and the team.With the BCCI selection meeting expected soon, the leadership question remains wide open.Must Watch