Why Bumrah may lose out on Test captaincy

Jasprit Bumrah is the frontrunner to replace Rohit Sharma as India's Test captain going forward. However, the pace spearhead doesn't seem to be a long-term option given his nagging fitness concerns, the latest being a back spasm that has rendered him doubtful for next month's ICC Champions Trophy.

The national selection committee remains hopeful that Bumrah still might have some role in the Champions Trophy, given it's a swelling. But looking at the bigger picture, the question arises: Can he be deemed a permanent skipper in Tests, now that Rohit's days in Tests seem to be nearing their end?

If Bumrah is fit and ready to lead the Test side in England later this year, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues need to identify a strong vice-captain. This is crucial to ensure the deputy can take charge in unforeseen circumstances.

Currently, in Tests, only two names are in the reckoning -- Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal -- with the former appearing the most suitable for the role.

It is understood that during BCCI's review meeting on Saturday with Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit, Bumrah's issues with the lower back were discussed in detail.

Post the review, it appears unlikely that Rohit will travel to England for the five Tests and if all goes well, the 31-year-old Bumrah will lead India in the first Test at Headingley.

The pacer, with 443 international scalps across formats in just 204 games, recently led India at Perth and Sydney in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. He was the player of the series with 32 wickets -- the highest by an Indian on foreign soil.

However, the back spasm in the final Test proved to be his undoing as he could not bowl in the second innings of the final Test at Sydney. He is now

set to undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, aiming to regain his fitness for the Champions Trophy.

The injury raises concerns about Bumrah's ability to stay fit for extended periods given his workload as the pace spearhead in Tests. His presence is vital for ICC white-ball events, but managing his bowling workload is paramount.

There is no guarantee that Bumrah won't have more breakdowns during the next WTC cycle from June 2025 to June 2027, especially now that he is in his 30s. This scenario might prompt selectors to groom another strong captaincy candidate as vice-captain.

Former national selector Devang Gandhi backed Pant's credentials.

"For me, it is a very simple thing. You look at the data and find who is a sure-shot pick in Test cricket. Bumrah has played 45 Tests and Pant has 43 Tests. He (Pant) is 27 now and by the time he was only 23, he had single-handedly won India one of its greatest Tests at the Gabba. He is a match-winner, a good sounding board for bowlers and should be the vice-captain," he said.

Another former India keeper Deep Dasgupta agreed that Bumrah cannot be a long-term solution as Test captain given his bowling workloads.

"It is not just the marquee series (England and Australia) that we are talking about. In between Test matches, there will be ICC events where Bumrah's presence is a must. Like this year, it is Champions Trophy and next year it will be the T20 World Cup. He is managing it well by not playing bilaterals but nearer to events, he would need to. Then the bowling workload becomes paramount. Don't forget two months of IPL," he explained.

"So even as Bumrah starts as the next Test captain, there is a need for a strong vice-captain, and yes Pant fits the bill."

Both Gandhi and Dasgupta agreed that Jaiswal should not be burdened with vice-captaincy yet. He is expected to spearhead India's batting challenge in the future, and the BCCI should wait before considering him for a leadership role.