Jasprit Bumrah, India's premier fast bowler, has recently opened up about the circumstances surrounding his non-appointment as the Test captain for the Indian cricket team. In an interview with Sky Sports Cricket, Bumrah revealed that he had, in fact, declined the offer of captaincy from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to concerns about workload management and the need to prioritize his fitness and bowling responsibilities.
Bumrah's comments come in the wake of Shubman Gill's appointment as the Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma who stepped down from the role in May 2025. With senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having retired from Test cricket, Bumrah was seen as a natural contender for the leadership position, having previously captained the side in a few instances.
According to Bumrah, the decision to decline the captaincy was made after careful consideration of his workload, particularly in the context of a gruelling five-Test series. Bumrah has been managing a recurring back issue and felt that taking on the added responsibility of captaincy would compromise his ability to play all the matches and maintain his peak performance.
"Before Rohit and Virat retired, during the IPL, I had spoken to BCCI that I have discussed workload going forward in a five-match Test series. I have spoken to people who manage my back – we came to the conclusion that I have to be a little more smart. Then I called the BCCI that I don't want to be looked at for the leadership role because I won't be able to play all the Test matches," Bumrah told Sky Sports.
Bumrah emphasized the importance of continuity in leadership, stating that it would be unfair to the team if he were to lead in some matches while another player took over in others. "BCCI was looking at me for the leadership role, but I had to say no to them because it's not ideal when someone is leading for 3 Tests, then someone else has to lead the rest of the Tests. So it's not fair for the team, as I wanted to put the team first," he explained.
The decision appears to have been made before Rohit Sharma's retirement. Bumrah has been struggling with back issues for some time and the BCCI confirmed that he will not be playing all five red-ball matches in England. He said that the conversation with the BCCI occurred before Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket and that he was in touch with his surgeon, who told him to be smarter in the future.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar had also alluded to Bumrah's workload concerns, stating that the board wanted him to focus on his bowling and fitness rather than the additional burden of captaincy. Agarkar mentioned that this decision was communicated to Bumrah, and the fast bowler was understanding of the situation.
Despite not being the captain, Bumrah has affirmed his commitment to supporting the new captain, Shubman Gill, and contributing to the team's success as a senior player. He stated that he would offer his guidance and experience to Gill whenever needed but would also give him the freedom to lead the team in his own way.
With India embarking on a new era in Test cricket, the focus will be on Shubman Gill and the team's performance in the upcoming series against England. Jasprit Bumrah's decision to prioritize his bowling and fitness underscores the challenges of managing workload in modern cricket and the importance of having a strong leadership group to support the captain.
