Is Jasprit Bumrah the right candidate to become India's next Test captain?

The onset of the new WTC Cycle is slated to bring a significant overhaul in the Indian Cricket Team. Rohit Sharma has drawn the curtains on a prolific red-ball career. With the retirement of Rohit Sharma from Test cricket, there is a major spot for India to fill. With the retirement of Rohit Sharma from Test cricket, there is a major spot for India to fill. While finding a suitable opening batsman is important, identifying a deserving and reliable candidate to take over the captaincy is an even bigger priority. While there are multiple prospects to pick from, it’s a tricky task, with every option bringing a catch with it. Amid all, the most obvious one to pick emerges as the primary pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. However, his workload management stands as a roadblock in Bumrah’s future as India’s next Test captain.

Can Jasprit Bumrah succeed Rohit Sharma as India's next Test captain?

Jasprit Bumrah first led Team India in whites during the India vs England Test back in 2022. While India lost the match, Bumrah emerged as a reliable option. During the last Border Gavaskar Trophy, the pacer was designated as the vice-captain of the side Down Under. As Rohit Sharma missed the Perth Test, the opener of the five-match series in Australia, Bumrah led the team. The speedster delivered a match-winning spell against the Kangaroos as India beat Australia in the BGT opener Down Under. The Perth Test victory remained the only win for India in the otherwise disappointing BGT.

Following the Perth Test, India endured a forgettable run in the series, losing 3 out of the remaining four matches. As the Indian batting order went through a collective slump, senior players like skipper Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli faced roaring scrutiny. Along with his batting, Rohit Sharma was also criticised for his tactical calls, questioning his ability to lead the team. Consequently, the skipper dropped himself from the Indian Playing XI for the Sydney Test. The leadership onus, once again, came to Jasprit Bumrah.

Can Shubman Gill leapfrog Jasprit Bumrah in the race to win India's Test captaincy amid workload management needs?

The board got a glimpse of what risks await India when Rohit Sharma leaves and Bumrah takes the lead. After bowling consistently in the four matches of the BGT, Bumrah endured a back stress injury during the Sydney Test. The captain left midway due to the injury. What was perceived as a back spasm initially grew into an injury serious enough to rule Bumrah out of the India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. Now, as the team is ready to usher in a new phase following the retirement of Rohit Sharma, the question stands: Is Jasprit Bumrah fit to succeed Rohit Sharma as India’s next Test captain?

There is no doubt about the importance of Bumrah as the primary pacer in Tests. His skills and the returns with the red cherry remain unmatched. However, with every seamer, especially someone like Bumrah with a unique action that is more prone to injury, comes the task of managing their workload meticulously. The upcoming India Tour of England, the first of the new WTC Cycle, is a five-match series in foreign conditions. Would Bumrah’s body be able to sustain such a heavy workload? More so, if not, is India ready to onboard a captain who might not be able to be present throughout a series?

Other captaincy options for India are Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill. If reports are to be believed, the BCCI is backing the 25-year-old Shubman Gill to lead the team, eyeing the batter as a long-term candidate for India’s Test captaincy. However, Gill’s captaincy experience remains limited to the IPL, where he gained charge of Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024. Moreover, the youngster’s returns with the bat in Test cricket, especially in foreign conditions, remain abysmal. Following the Gabba knock of 91 in 2021, his debut Test series, Gill has not been able to manage even a single half-century in SENA countries. 

How the management of Pat Cummins as Australia's Test captain could inspire the appointment of Jasprit Bumrah as India's next Test captain

Shubman Gill surely has a lot to work upon. Adding a responsibility as big as leading the Indian team in the longer format could affect his batting form further. With all the complications surrounding India’s next Test captain, the BCCI could take a cue from Australia’s Test mechanisms. Pat Cummins, similarly to Bumrah, is Australia’s primary pacer in red-ball cricket. The skipper is a proven match-winner with the ball, with his captaincy in Test cricket adorned by the 2023 WTC Final title. How does Australia manage Pat Cummins for an unhindered presence in the leadership post for the Kangaroos? By managing his workload across other formats. 

India, right now, is in need of just a Test captain. The team, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, is performing seamlessly in the shortest format. There is no overhaul in sight in T20Is for India, at least till the 2026 T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma, already retired from T20Is and now Test cricket, has just ODIs at his disposal. The recent ICC Champions Trophy victory is a sign that Rohit Sharma remains India’s best bet as the ODI captain for the upcoming years. So, if India manages to reduce the team’s dependency on Jasprit Bumrah in the white-ball formats, the speedster is poised as the best candidate for the Test captaincy spot.