Virat Kohli stepped down from Test captaincy following the defeat against South Africa in the Test series. Ever since the shocking revelation by the man himself, there have been speculations as to who will succeed the most successful Test captain the nation has ever seen. Few names have been doing the rounds which include the likes of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant. However, a new name that’s been added to the list is that of Jasprit Bumrah.
KL Rahul led the Indian team as the stand-in captain in the second Test match against South Africa as Kohli had to miss the Test due to an upper back spasm. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma is now the full-time captain for the limited-overs format. The Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been backed by veterans like Sunil Gavaskar and former cricketer Yuvraj Singh. Now, in a press conference, Jasprit Bumrah has made it clear that he wouldn’t say NO if given the honour.
Jasprit Bumrah ready to become Test captain
Jasprit Bumrah was announced as the vice-captain for the ODI series against South Africa which the team will play under the leadership of KL Rahul. In a press conference on Monday, Jasprit Bumrah while commending Virat Kohli for the energy and health culture he has brought to the team, also mentioned that it would be an honour for him to be India’s Test captain.
💬 💬 He is energy driven; he has brought a lot of change. @Jaspritbumrah93 lauds @imVkohli for his contribution as #TeamIndia captain. 👏 👏 pic.twitter.com/x5FJVN37qt
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 17, 2022
“If given an opportunity, it would be an honour. I don’t think any player would say no. There’s no bigger feeling than that,” said Bumrah in a press conference on Monday. Though the selectors have options to choose from, it will be a difficult decision for them to make, considering the legacy Virat Kohli has left as the Test captain.
Talking to The Indian Express, a BCCI functionary said that the selectors are looking to appoint Rohit Sharma as the skipper across all formats for the time being. Since age and injury can cause hindrances in Rohit’s tenure as a captain, they will be looking for other options as well. Jasprit Bumrah may well be in the list of the potential Test captains for the team.