Gavaskar wants Bumrah to be made Test captain, rubbishes concerns over workload

IANS May 13, 2025 256 views

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has emphatically recommended Jasprit Bumrah as the next Test captain for the Indian cricket team. Despite ongoing concerns about Bumrah's fitness and workload, Gavaskar argues that Bumrah himself would be best positioned to manage his bowling responsibilities. Bumrah has already demonstrated leadership capabilities by captaining India in significant Test matches against Australia and England. His potential appointment could bring a strategic approach to managing his own physical limitations while leading the national team.

"Who better to know what is the workload for himself than himself?" - Sunil Gavaskar
Gavaskar wants Bumrah to be made Test captain, rubbishes concerns over workload
Mumbai, May 13: As the national selectors ponder over a successor for Rohit Sharma, who quit captaincy and retired from Test cricket, batting legend and noted commentator Sunil Gavaskar has advised them to hand the captaincy to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

Key Points

1

Bumrah emerges as top candidate for Test captaincy after Rohit's retirement

2

Gavaskar believes Bumrah can manage his own bowling workload

3

Paceman has previous captaincy experience in crucial Test matches

4

Fitness concerns addressed through self-regulation

Bumrah is one of the front-runners, along with K.L. Rahul and Shubman Gill to take over the reins of the team from Rohit, but his fitness and workload as the spearhead of the Indian pace attack have been cited as major concerns, which have led to his breakdown midway through a series on several occasions in the past.

He captained India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series a few months back but had to withdraw from the fifth Test in Sydney because of lower back problems. He underwent lengthy treatment and rehabilitation and returned to action only after the first few rounds of matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

One of the reasons for Bumrah's frequent breakdown is the notion that he is regularly over-bowled by the captains, as Bumrah plays all three formats. However, former India captain Gavaskar feels that the concern over bowling workload could be solved if Bumrah himself is the captain of the team.

"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," Gavaskar told Sports Today.

He rubbished all speculation over Bumrah's workload and said being captain, Bumrah could himself decide how many overs is good for him. "I know all this 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 to 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.

Bumrah led India to a commanding 295-run win in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which is India's biggest by runs over Australia. He also captained India in the Birmingham Test on India's last tour of England when Rohit was unavailable.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Gavaskar makes a valid point here! Bumrah as captain would indeed manage his own workload better than others. We've seen how captains like Dhoni handled their bowling resources wisely. Plus, Bumrah has shown great tactical acumen in the matches he's captained. 🇮🇳🏏
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Priya M.
While I respect Gavaskar sir's opinion, I'm not sure about this. Bumrah is our most valuable bowler - do we really want to burden him with captaincy? Remember what happened to Kapil Dev's bowling when he became captain? Maybe KL Rahul would be a safer choice.
S
Sanjay T.
Bumrah for captain! 🔥 He's got the respect of the entire team and has proven his leadership skills. Plus, as Gavaskar said, he'll know best when to bowl himself. We need fresh thinking in Test cricket - not just another batsman as captain. #BoomBoomCaptain
A
Ananya S.
Interesting suggestion, but I worry about Bumrah's fitness record. We can't afford to lose him to injuries because of extra pressure. Maybe split captaincy? Bumrah for overseas Tests where his bowling is crucial, and someone else for home matches? Just a thought...
V
Vikram J.
Gavaskar's logic makes sense, but Test captaincy is about more than just managing your own bowling. What about team selection, handling pressure situations, media responsibilities? Bumrah is brilliant but is he ready for all this? Maybe give him more time as vice-captain first.
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Neha P.
As a die-hard cricket fan, I love this idea! Bumrah has that calm demeanor like Dravid and the aggression of Kohli. His record as stand-in captain is excellent too. Let's give him a proper chance - at least for the next series. Jai Hind! 🙌

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