As India gear up for a high-stakes five-match Test series against England starting June 20, there has been a major leadership shift in the squad.
With former captain Rohit Sharma stepping away from the longest format, the selectors turned to Shubman Gill to lead a young Indian side in challenging overseas conditions.
But many expected Jasprit Bumrah to take over the reins, especially since he served as vice-captain and has previously captained India in Tests.
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However, the star pacer has now revealed why he chose not to accept the role, despite being the selectors' preferred choice.
Bumrah opened up about his decision in a recent interview and explained how injury management and long-term planning shaped his call. Let’s take a closer look at what he had to say.
Why did Jasprit Bumrah say no to becoming Test captain?
Jasprit Bumrah admitted that the leadership offer was on the table, but he had already made up his mind. During the IPL itself, before Rohit and Kohli made their retirements official, Bumrah had spoken to the BCCI and the selectors.
"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," Bumrah told Sky Sports.
He was clear that he didn’t want to be considered for captaincy in the upcoming five-match series. The main reason for this decision is his back injury history.
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After consulting doctors and his surgeon, Bumrah felt that managing his workload was more important than wearing the captain’s armband. Leading a full series while also playing at top intensity would risk aggravating his injury.
"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," Bumrah added.
What was Jasprit Bumrah's conversation with the BCCI?
Bumrah revealed that he had reached out to the board and communicated his concerns in advance. He told them that he wouldn’t be available for all five Tests in the England tour.
"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," Bumrah said.
And for him, it didn’t make sense to captain the side in a few games and then step aside in the middle of the series.
"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," he added.
'It meant a lot, but I had to let it go': Bumrah on missing out as Test captain
Bumrah also opened up emotionally about how much the captaincy meant to him. He admitted that he had worked hard for the opportunity, but in the end, he had to think about the bigger picture, both for himself and for the team.
"But yeah, captaincy meant a lot. I had worked very hard for it. But unfortunately, sometimes you have to look after the bigger picture. I love cricket more than captaincy. So I want to contribute more as a cricketer and to the Indian team as a player," said Bumrah.
He further explained that if he pushed his body too far now, it might hurt his long-term future in Test cricket.
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"If I'm not careful, I don't know about the future and I don't want to be in a situation where, you know, abruptly I have to go away from this format. So I thought that for continuity, and it is only fair to the team, that you know, the team goes in that direction where they look at long term, and I could help in whatever way I can," he added.