Team India is prepared to play against Sri Lanka in a series of limited-overs matches, starting on Saturday with three T20 games. Following the retirement of captain Rohit Sharma from the shortest format, there was much discussion about who would be the best person to take over as captain. Initially, all-rounder Hardik Pandya seemed like the clear choice, but the recently appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar decided to name batter Suryakumar Yadav as the captain for the T20 matches against Sri Lanka.
Following this decision, there has been some talk about star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah not being considered for the captaincy role. Bumrah, who played a crucial part in India’s win at the T20 World Cup 2024, has spoken out about the situation and provided a strong response.
“I can’t just walk up to the team and say, ‘Now you have to make me the captain.’ That’s not my place. I think the bowlers are the clever ones because our job is to get the batters out. We’re always dealing with challenges like smaller fields and better bats. I don’t recall any article or technology that has made the ball swing a lot more. People like watching the ball being thrown and enjoy seeing home runs being hit,” Bumrah said at the Indian Express Adda.
“Bowlers have a tough role. They don’t just stand behind a bat or a smooth pitch. When a team loses, bowlers often get the blame. It’s a challenging job, but I’m proud to do it. You face many difficulties, and these challenges help bowlers find new ways to win. Overcoming these challenges makes you stronger and better at leading. We’ve seen Pat Cummins perform very well. I’ve watched Wasim Akram lead the team. Kapil Dev and Imran Khan have even won a World Cup. Bowlers are clever. Sometimes, the physical demands are high, so leadership often goes to batters. But in my view, bowlers are the smart ones,” he said.
According to common belief, bowlers are often not considered for the role of team captain. But Bumrah pointed to Australia’s leader Pat Cummins as an example, who guided his team to victories in the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship.
“People’s views change when you achieve success. I used to be seen as someone whose bowling style wouldn’t succeed, but now others try to imitate it. Instead of just talking, you let your performance speak for itself. Pat Cummins is a great example of this. He achieved significant success, winning the World Cup and the WTC. I don’t see this as a heavy responsibility. When you play cricket, you want to take on responsibilities,” Bumrah explained.
“You don’t want to stay in the background. You need to be ready to make a difference when you get the chance to bowl. I believe that taking on responsibility is the best approach. Injuries can happen to anyone,” he further added.
