Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is gearing up for the first Test against England in Hyderabad, scheduled to start on January 25. This upcoming match will be his 11th Test against England, and it's noteworthy that the last time Bumrah faced them, he was the Indian team's captain. He assumed the leadership role in the delayed fifth Test at Edgbaston after regular skipper Rohit Sharma contracted Covid-19.
Reflecting on the game, Bumrah expressed his openness to taking on the role of India's permanent Test captain if given the chance.
"I did one game and it was the utmost honour," Bumrah told The Guardian.
"Playing Test cricket is great, captaining was even better. Yes, we lost but we were ahead in the match and I loved the responsibility. Sometimes as a fast bowler you go down to fine leg and switch off but I loved being involved in every decision, right in the thick of things. And given the opportunity, of course, who wouldn’t?"
Though India ended up losing Bumrah's maiden game as captain, it was a contest where they were in a commanding position for significant portions. However, England's Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow turned the game around with their aggressive batting approach, often referred to as 'Bazball', both hitting unbeaten centuries in a rapid 269-run partnership.
During this match, Bumrah was not only effective with the ball, claiming five wickets, but he also made an impact with the bat, scoring an explosive 31 not out off just 16 balls. His batting highlight was scoring 29 runs in a single over bowled by Stuart Broad, surpassing West Indies legend Brian Lara's record for the most runs scored in a single over in a Test match. Broad’s over, yielding 35 runs, became the most expensive in Test history.
While fast bowlers traditionally haven't often taken up the captaincy in Test cricket, Bumrah pointed out that his contemporary, Australia's Pat Cummins, is a prime example of a fast bowler excelling in the leadership role. Cummins, considered among the world’s leading fast bowlers across formats, has successfully led Australia in the World Test Championship and the World Cup, as well as retaining the Ashes in England.
Bumrah acknowledged that the number of matches played by Australia might differ, but he sees Cummins as an inspiring example of a fast bowler thriving as a captain.
"(Cummins) plays for Australia, the number of matches differs and that kind of thing. Not many (seamers) have done it before. But it’s a good example that yes, fast bowlers are the smart ones, they do a hard job and they know what to do around the game," said Bumrah.
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