Jasprit Bumrah is set to captain India in the opening Test against Australia in Perth, starting Friday. Initially named as vice-captain under Rohit Sharma, Bumrah will now take the reins as Rohit opted to stay back with his family following the birth of his son. This marks a significant milestone for Bumrah as he steps into a leadership role in the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
This will be Bumrah’s second stint as Test captain. His first outing came in 2022 during the rescheduled fifth Test against England when Rohit was sidelined due to injury. Despite India losing that game by seven wickets and the series ending in a 2-2 draw, Bumrah’s captaincy displayed promise and resilience.
Now, two years later, the ace pacer gets another opportunity to lead, and bowling coach Morne Morkel is confident in Bumrah’s ability to shine both as a bowler and a leader.
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Morne Morkel expressed his confidence in Bumrah’s leadership, saying, “Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah] was quick to step up and embrace the captaincy role. He’s had great success here before and understands the conditions well. He’s vocal in the dressing room and, with the ball in hand, he sets the tone for the team. The younger players look up to him and follow his lead.”
🗣️🗣️ In terms of leadership, in terms of how he looks at the game and approaches the game, he’s a natural leader for me.#TeamIndia Bowling Coach Morne Morkel on @Jaspritbumrah93‘s leadership qualities.#AUSvIND | @mornemorkel65 pic.twitter.com/TBxjVze8WV
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 20, 2024
Morne Morkel also highlighted the support Bumrah will receive from experienced players, ensuring stability during the pressure-packed series. “It’s an exciting challenge for him, but we have a lot of seasoned players to guide him. When he’s bowling and facing a million things at once, those around him will help maintain calmness within the team.”
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Praising Bumrah’s natural leadership qualities, Morne Morkel added, “In terms of how he approaches the game and trains, he’s a natural leader. It’s going to be interesting to see how we perform under his captaincy here.” All eyes will be on Bumrah as he leads India’s charge against the formidable Australian side.
