'Has Jasprit Bumrah said he won’t captain India?': Sanjay Manjrekar cites Rohit Sharma's example to weigh in on India's Test captaincy debate

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are yet to announce India's Test squad for the upcoming Test series against England which is set to start from June 20. With the announcement of the squad for the England tour drawing near, the captaincy of the Indian Test team has become a prominent point of discussion among cricket enthusiasts. This heightened interest stems from the fact that India will have to tour England with a fresh face at the helm, following Rohit Sharma's recent retirement from Test cricket. Speculation has been rife, with numerous reports indicating that Shubman Gill is the frontrunner to take on this leadership role.

Sanjay Manjrekar on India's Test captaincy debate

Interestingly, the conversation has also touched upon the previous leadership structure. Jasprit Bumrah served as Rohit Sharma's vice-captain for a considerable period of three years, leading many to believe he would be the natural successor. However, recent reports suggest a potential shift, indicating that Bumrah might not even be part of the leadership group moving forward.

Adding his perspective to this unfolding scenario, former cricketer and noted commentator Sanjay Manjrekar voiced his support for Jasprit Bumrah. In his analysis, Manjrekar also referenced Rohit Sharma, seemingly expressing surprise at the ongoing deliberations surrounding who will ultimately lead the Test side.

"Has Bumrah said he won’t captain India? Or has he ruled himself out of the England series? Then why are we discussing who will captain India?" he wrote on X.

"If Bumrah’s availability because of injuries is the issue, didn’t we have Rohit captain India in just 3 off the 5 Tests in Aus recently? Availability can’t be the be all & end all, deservability far more important. Especially in Tests," he added.

Concerns surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's fitness are widely believed to be the primary factor influencing the decision against considering him for the Test captaincy. Since his Test debut in 2018, the talented right-arm fast bowler has been sidelined for numerous matches due to various injuries, and there remains uncertainty about his availability for all five Test matches in the upcoming series in Australia.

Notably, Bumrah experienced a back issue during the fifth Test of the series against Australia, which prevented him from bowling in the final innings of the match. It's worth recalling that he was leading the Indian team in that very fixture. This persistent back problem subsequently ruled him out of the 2025 Champions Trophy and also caused him to miss the initial phase of the IPL 2025 season for the Mumbai Indians. Given this history of fitness challenges, it appears increasingly likely that Bumrah will be overlooked for the coveted leadership position.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has emerged as the frontrunner to assume the role of the new Test captain. Reports are also floating that Rishabh Pant is likely to be appointed as his deputy.