Srinagar: India legend Sunil Gavaskar has backed pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the permanent Test Team captain of India team after assuming temporary role during Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.
Jasprit Bumrah come in as an emergency captain in the first Test in Perth and again in Sydney for the final Test for India in absence of Rohit Sharma. He did a decent and looked comfortable. Now Bumrah has been backed by Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar to take over the role on a permanent basis in the near future.
“He leads from the front and has a natural air of leadership,” Gavaskar stated on Australian National broadcaster Channel 7. “He’s not someone who will put undue pressure on teammates but expects them to deliver, knowing their responsibilities as members of the national team.”
Reflecting on Bumrah’s captaincy effort as well as his ability to balance his marshalling of troops with maintaining his own quality with ball, Gavaskar said “I think he was absolutely brilliant, and I won’t be surprised if he takes over very soon.”
It remains unclear what the long-term succession plan for Rohit Sharma will be, if indeed the team management looks to move on from his services heading into the next World Test Championship cycle. Sharma came in for criticism for his role in India losing 6 of their last 8 Test matches, throwing away a WTC final spot that seemed to be in hand, and also losing out on the dominant 12-year unbeaten streak at home in Test matches.