India's stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah has ended the suspense over whether who will lead the team for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia after the return of Rohit Sharma from the second Test in Adelaide. Bumrah acknowledged Rohit Sharma as the true leader of the team, praising his exceptional leadership qualities over the years. Bumrah's remarks came after India's stunning 295-run victory over Australia in the Perth Test.
Jasprit Bumrah or Rohit Sharma: Who will captain India for rest of Australia series in Border-Gavaskar Trohy?
India's pace spearhead has made it very clear that he was merely filling in for Rohit Sharma, who will continue to lead the Indian team throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
India's tour of Australia commenced with a resounding victory in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. In the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, who was on paternity leave, Jasprit Bumrah took the reins of the team. The hosts got off to a patchy start, being gunned down for a lowly 150 runs in their first innings. However, India's bowlers turned the tide, restricting Australia to a low score of 104 runs and securing a crucial first-innings lead.
In their second innings, India unleashed a batting masterclass, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul forming a strong opening partnership. Virat Kohli also contributed with a brilliant century. The Indian team declared their innings at 487/6, setting Australia a daunting target of 534 runs. The Australian batting lineup perished under pressure, as India's bowlers once again dominated, bowling them out for 238 runs.
After Rohit Sharma's return to the team, Jasprit Bumrah was asked about whether who will lead Team India for the rest of the series. Bumrah clarified that he had no issues stepping aside and allowing Rohit to resume his captaincy duties.
"He is the captain of our side, he has done a phenomenal job. I was filling in for him, I had a discussion with him when he was in India, we kept discussing how we are shaping up. I am not going to tell him that I am going to lead, but yeah, I am going to help him in whatever capacity I can," Bumrah said in the post-match press conference.
Reflecting on his captaincy stint, Bumrah expressed pride in the team's performance under his leadership. He gave credit to the collective effort and dedication of the team members, which contributed to their success.
“Pretty proud. This was my second game as the captain. We played well in the first innings of my debut game as captain in Birmingham as well, but England played really well in the second innings. You will always take learnings from that, really happy with the way we came back in this match,” he concluded.
