Given Jasprit Bumrah’s recurring back issues, the BCCI is hesitant to assign him a leadership role for India’s upcoming five-Test tour of England, which marks the beginning of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle. The pacer suffered a back injury during the final Test of the Australia tour earlier this year, which sidelined him for nearly three months and forced him to miss India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign.
With the England series demanding consistent availability across all five Tests, the BCCI is keen on grooming a leader who can be present throughout the tour. Bumrah returned to action in the ongoing IPL, though he missed the initial matches for Mumbai Indians due to injury rehabilitation.
Notably, he captained India in two Tests during the Australia series in Rohit Sharma’s absence and even led the team to their only win of the tour. While his leadership was appreciated, concerns about his physical workload persist.
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It’s unlikely Bumrah will feature in all five Tests in England, given the intensity of the format and his fitness history. This has led the BCCI to opt against making him vice-captain, instead preferring someone younger who is expected to be available for the entire series.
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Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be handed a leadership role for the Test tour of England, as he’s not expected to play all five matches due to workload management. 👀
Selectors are looking to groom a young vice-captain and are keen to bring Shubman Gill into… pic.twitter.com/IGfGhcYe1W
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“We want a player who will be available for all five Test matches, and he should be given the vice-captain’s role,” a BCCI source told The Indian Express. The selectors are reportedly looking at Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as long-term leadership prospects, with one of them likely to take up the vice-captaincy in England.
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Bumrah, despite being ruled out of a leadership role for now, remains among the elite. He continues to be one of only four players in the BCCI’s top contract grade, alongside Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja.
