The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Jasprit Bumrah as the official vice-captain of the Indian Test team, a testament to his growing stature within the squad. While Rohit Sharma remains the captain, Bumrah’s elevation to the vice-captaincy is a significant recognition of his leadership qualities and his importance to the team.
Despite his limited captaincy experience, Bumrah has been an integral part of India’s leadership group for some time. His tactical acumen and understanding of the game have impressed his teammates and coaches alike. Rohit Sharma, in particular, has praised Bumrah’s contributions to the team’s decision-making process.
“Bumrah has played a lot of cricket. He understands the game pretty well. He’s got a good head on his shoulder. When you talk to him, he understands the game,” said Rohit.
In addition to his leadership abilities, Bumrah is also expected to mentor the younger pacers in the team. As the most experienced fast bowler, he will provide guidance and support to the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.
“Whether it is speaking to the bowlers who have just come into the squad, whether it is getting internally with the team to discuss about how to move forward as a team, he’s always been part of that leadership group,” said Rohit.
While Bumrah’s vice-captaincy is a positive development for the Indian team, there are concerns about the fitness of Mohammed Shami. The veteran pacer has been struggling with a knee injury and is unlikely to be fit for the upcoming tour of Australia.
“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,” said Rohit.
Despite the injury concerns, the Indian team remains confident ahead of the Test series against New Zealand. With Rohit Sharma at the helm and Jasprit Bumrah as his deputy, the team will be looking to continue their dominance in the longest format of the game.
