Backing Bumrah for captaincy: Ishant

Backing the recognising skills, former Indian pacer Ishant Sharma put his bet on Indian pacer, Jasprit Bumrah to lead the Indian team on the tour of England, after stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced retirement from the Test cricket. “If Bumrah is fit, I would go with him. He is the only one who has so much experience. But if he won’t play all the five Tests matches, then obviously Shubman (Gill),” said Ishant said on Star Sports Press Room. Gill, 25, has impressed as captain of Gujarat Titans in the IPL, leading them to the top of the table this year. While, Bumrah previously captained India in the rescheduled fifth Test against England in 2022, and in the first and fifth Tests of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

He will remain ‘Cheeku’

Friends since childhood, Ishant was surprised as Kohli announced to hung his boots. Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing down the curtains on a remarkable career in which he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 123 matches, including 30 centuries.”I think he is mature. He knows what he is doing. He is a star for outside people. I can’t see him like that because we played in the U-17s. He is a childhood friend to me,” said Ishant. He further added, “I didn’t really talk to him after he took retirement. He knows what he wants in life and he must have talked to someone. I was surprised, he could have played for at least three years more.” He recalled the moment Kohli informed him of his first India call-up. “When our India debut came, the name of the team came...he kicked me and said your name has come. He said, will you really play for India? I said, brother, let me sleep,” laughed Ishant.