Former wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has said that the major concern that could stand in the way when it comes to Jasprit Bumrah being a candidate for the long-term Test captaincy role as well. Bumrah will lead India in the Perth Test against Australia, which will begin on Friday, November 22 as well.

“The former wicketkeeper feels that since Bumrah is an all-format bowler, it would be tough for him to play every Test while staying fit for the white-ball formats. In terms of cricketing ability and importance to the team, he ticks all the boxes. He’s the best bowler in the world across three formats, and that speaks volumes about his calibre,” he said.

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“But the only concern is workload management. As a three-format bowler, it’s tough to play every Test match while also staying fit for white-ball cricket. That’s the only question mark for me regarding his potential long-term captaincy. Apart from that, there are no issues. India does have other options, like Rishabh Pant, but Bumrah is a great candidate,” said Bumrah.

The Perth Test will see both the captains being bowlers, which is also a rare occurrence in the longer format. Dasgupta also claimed Bumrah is a smart cricketer with a great cricketing brain and his leadership with the ball will also be important, especially with India missing the services of their key speedster Mohammed Shami.

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“It’s rare to see fast bowlers leading sides in Test matches. I mean, yes, Tim Southee led New Zealand last year, but it’s still not a common occurrence. Bumrah has led the side before, albeit in England, and it didn’t go the way we would have liked. But he’s a smart cricketer with a great cricketing brain. It’ll be interesting, especially with Mohammed Shami unavailable. India has relied heavily on its bowlers—spinners and pacers—both at home and overseas for its success. In Shami’s absence, there might be one or two youngsters in the playing XI, alongside Bumrah and Siraj. Bumrah’s leadership as a bowler himself will be critical in managing the bowling unit effectively,” said Deep Dasgupta.