The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently made a significant statement by appointing pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the vice-captain of the Test team for the upcoming series against New Zealand. While Rohit Sharma continues to lead as captain, Bumrah’s elevation to vice-captain has sparked interest given his limited experience in leadership roles.
Ahead of the first Test, Rohit Sharma addressed media queries about Bumrah’s new role. He expressed confidence in Bumrah’s deep understanding of the game and his valuable contributions to the team’s leadership group, despite not having extensive captaincy experience.
“Look, Bumrah has played a lot of cricket. I’ve played a lot of cricket with him. He understands the game pretty well. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. When you talk to him, he understands the game,” Rohit said during a pre-match press conference that was delayed due to rain.
While acknowledging that Bumrah hasn’t captained much—only leading in one Test match and a couple of T20s—Rohit emphasized his tactical acumen and readiness to step up when needed. “He understands what is required. When you’re in a situation where you need a leader to step up, I think Bumrah will be one of them. So, over the past, he’s always been part of our leadership group,” he added.
As the most experienced pacer in the squad, Bumrah also plays a crucial role in mentoring younger bowlers. “Whether it’s speaking to the bowlers who have just joined the squad or discussing internally how to move forward as a team, he’s always been part of that leadership group. So, it’s probably the right thing to have him around to speak to the bowlers and internally discuss how to take the team forward,” Rohit explained.
The discussion also touched upon the potential return of Bumrah’s pace partner, Mohammed Shami. Rohit hinted that Shami might not be fit enough for the upcoming Australia tour, citing recent setbacks in his recovery. “To be honest, right now it’s pretty difficult for us to make a call on him, whether he’ll be fit for this series or the Australia series. He recently had swelling on his knee, which was quite unusual,” Rohit revealed.
“He was in the process of getting fit, getting close to 100 percent, but the swelling set him back a bit. So, he had to start again. Right now, he’s at the NCA, working with the physios and doctors,” he added.
As Team India gears up for the series against New Zealand, all eyes will be on how Bumrah embraces his vice-captaincy role and contributes to the team’s success in the Test arena.
