Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah finally opened up on not becoming the Indian cricket team captain for the upcoming Test series against England. In a recent interview, Bumrah shared that he was a captaincy choice for the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee, but he had to turn them down due to ‘workload management’ as well. As a result, Shubman Gill has been named captain after the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant was appointed his deputy as well.

In the interview with former India wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik on SKY Sports, Bumrah said, “Before Rohit and Virat retired during the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI about my workloads going forward in a five-test match series. I’ve spoken to the people who have managed my back. I’ve spoken to the surgeon as well, who’s always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads. So I did speak to him, and then we came to the conclusion that I have to be a little smarter. So then I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won’t be able to give all the Test matches in a five-test match series.”

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However, Jasprit Bumrah has been struggling with injuries in recent times, and the BCCI made it clear that he will play only three Test matches in the upcoming series against England as well.

“Yes, the BCCI was looking at me for leadership. But then I had to say, no, that it’s not fair for the team as well, that, you know, a five-Test match series, three matches, somebody else is leading, two matches, somebody else is leading. It’s not fair to the team. And I always wanted to put the team first,” Jasprit Bumrah concluded.