Jasprit Bumrah Reveals Why He Declined Team India Captaincy Ahead of England Test Series

Jasprit Bumrah Chooses Bowling Over Leadership to Prolong Test Career.

India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah has opened up about turning down the opportunity to captain the national team ahead of the high-stakes five-match Test series against England. In a recent interview with Dinesh Karthik for Sky Sports, Bumrah revealed that while the selectors did approach him regarding the leadership role post-Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement, he chose to step aside due to workload concerns.

Bumrah Focused on Longevity, Not Captaincy

Bumrah, who has previously led India in Tests during challenging overseas tours, stated that managing his fitness and performance over a five-Test series remains his top priority. He emphasized that taking up captaincy while also being expected to deliver with the ball in every game could compromise both his form and the team’s consistency.

“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,” Bumrah said.

Team Stability the Priority

The fast bowler added that it wouldn’t be ideal for the team to have different captains during the same series, suggesting that continuity in leadership is crucial. With selectors and team management likely to rotate him during the series, he felt it was best to support the team from the background.

Bumrah to Support Shubman Gill’s Leadership

With Shubman Gill now leading India in Tests, Bumrah expressed full support for the young captain. He said he would continue to offer guidance and mentor teammates when needed, stating, “I love cricket more than captaincy.”

Gill’s leadership has been praised by many, with England’s Jos Buttler recently calling it a perfect balance between Virat Kohli’s aggression and Rohit Sharma’s calmness.

Key Highlights

• Jasprit Bumrah turned down Test captaincy offer due to workload management.
• Emphasized the need for leadership continuity across a five-match series.
• Will play 3–4 Tests in the England series as per current workload planning.
• Fully backs Shubman Gill as India’s new red-ball captain.