Jasprit Bumrah is gearing up to captain India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, a challenge that will test both his leadership and the strength of the Indian squad. With key players like Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave, and Shubman Gill, sidelined due to injury, India’s lineup is missing some of its regular stalwarts.

This leaves the team with only a handful of experienced Test players, including Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, who have previously played in Australia. The rest of the batting lineup will feature youngsters such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, and possibly Sarfaraz Khan—none of whom have played Test cricket in Australia before.

Facing the formidable Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, this will be a tough test for the inexperienced players. Similarly, the bowling attack is likely to feature new faces in Australian conditions, with players like Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep vying for spots.

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Given the lack of experience among the pacers, Bumrah’s leadership will be crucial in guiding them through these challenging conditions. Despite the odds, Bumrah remains confident about India’s chances, emphasizing the team’s preparation.

“We are very well prepared because we came here early. We spent some time at WACA, which was crucial for us. A lot of youngsters are here for the first time, but when we came here in the past with less preparation, we still ended up winning the series. We always believe in our side, no matter what the situation. So, in terms of preparation, we are in a very good place. Now, it’s all about being mentally switched on, and we are looking to do that,” he said during the pre-match press conference.

A journalist in Australia in a pre-match press conference referred Jasprit Bumrah as a medium pace bowler.
Bumrah answered him that “I’ve bowled 150 kmph, mate, you can call me a fast bowler”.
Whoever the journalist is forgetting the rudimentary knowledge about journalism.… pic.twitter.com/6QN58wMkkR

— Gayatri 🇬🇧🇮🇳(BharatKiBeti) (@changu311) November 21, 2024

Bumrah also shared a lighter moment during the press conference when a reporter mistakenly referred to him as a medium pacer. With characteristic humor, he quickly corrected the journalist, saying, “I can bowl 150 kmph, at least you can call me a fast bowler captain.”

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As the first Test approaches, the match will be notable for another reason—both India and Australia will have fast bowlers leading their respective sides. Bumrah, a strong advocate for pacers taking on leadership roles, believes they bring tactical advantages to the table, noting Pat Cummins’ success as Australia’s captain. “I have always advocated for pacers being captains. They are tactically better. Pat has done a phenomenal job. There are a lot of models in the past as well,” he added. This rare occurrence adds an intriguing element to the series opener.