Shubman Gill's first assignment will begin on June 20 in Leeds.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s sudden retirement from the longest format of the game meant that there were huge shoes to fill, especially for the captaincy role. The new Indian team under Shubman Gill will face a stern challenge in the upcoming England Test series. After the two stalwarts hung up their boots, the major point of discussion amongst the masses was about the leadership role. But just as the Indian Premier League (IPL) was about to end, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Gujarat Titans skipper as India’s new skipper for the five-day format ahead of seniors KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. As compared to the other senior players in the team, Gill has the room for a lot more cricket in him.
However, BCCI’s first choice for the captaincy role was speedster Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian pace master led the side to victory in the first Test at Perth during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). That turned out to be India’s only victory in the five-match series. While there is no doubt about the capabilities of Bumrah as a leader, he has been on the edge of injuries in the recent past. He went off the field in the second innings of the fifth Test due to a back spasm. In a recent conversation with Dinesh Karthik, the 31-year-old expressed his thoughts about how things shaped up just before the BCCI made Gill the captain.
After Shubman Gill was declared Test skipper, a lot of questions arose around why Jasprit Bumrah was not selected for the role. The Indian pacer took this opportunity to clarify that there were no headlines to be made. He mentioned that he had communicated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his not wanting to be in contention for the then-vacant leadership role.
“Before Rohit & Virat retired – During the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI that I have discussed about the workload going forward in a five-match Test series. I have spoken to people who manage my back – we came to a conclusion that we have to be a little more smart. Then I called the BCCI to say that I don’t want to be considered for the leadership role because I won’t be able to play all the Test matches. The BCCI was looking at me for the leadership role, but I had to say no to them because it’s not ideal when someone is leading for 3 tests, then some other [player] has to lead the rest of the tests so it’s not fair for the team as I wanted to put team first”, Bumrah revealed.
On Workload Management
India’s prime pacer spoke about his mindset during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, during which players had to put in extra effort as a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final was on the line. Bumrah was by far India’s leading wicket-taker in the series, bagging 32 wickets and creating a havoc in Australia’s batting camp. He also spoke about what it means for him to play for the country. To add to that, he stressed on the importance of keeping himself fit and taking care of his body, as he wishes to stay around for a long time.
“In Australia last year, we had to push a bit extra because of the circumstances and the situations which arose. A series victory would have given us a place in the WTC Final. Having said that, when you play for India, you don’t think of protecting yourself at the cost of the team. But going ahead, I will have to be smart in terms of managing my body, because I am not getting any younger by the day. I would love to play longer. I am not yet done in my mind”, said the pacer.
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Jasprit Bumrah – India’s Biggest Hope
Jasprit Bumrah has been one of the finesh bowlers India has ever seen. A unique bowling action and a sharp cricketing mind have resulted in destruction of the opponent’s batting order on numerous occasions. The Mumbai Indians pacer has already racked up 205 wickets in just 45 Test matches at an average of 19.40. To add to his already spicy numbers, he has 60 Test wickets against England. This is the second-most number of wickets he has against any opposition in the longest format of the game. He has already clinched two five-wicket hauls on English soil, gathering 37 wickets in nine outings at a miniscule economy of 2.72. Bumrah’s experience will be of utmost importance if India are to perform well in the upcoming five-match Test series in England.
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