Gavaskar backs Bumrah to become next captain
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar is in awe of Jasprit Bumrah’s leadership qualities and reckons the peerless fast bowler will succeed Rohit Sharma as the next captain of the Indian team following his extraordinary display in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Bumrah recently produced one of the best-ever bowling performances by an overseas pacer in Australia and picked 32 wickets over five Tests.
He was also captain during India’s only victory in the series, helping the visitors to a convincing win at the Optus Stadium in Perth in the opener.
“He could be the next man. I think he will be the next man. Because he leads from the front, he has got a very good air about him, the air of a leader but not somebody who is going to put pressure on you,” Gavaskar said.
“Sometimes, you have captains who put a lot of pressure on you. With Bumrah you can see that he expects the others to do what their job is, why they are in the national team, but it doesn’t seem to pressurise anybody.”
Bumrah has been spearheading the Indian pace attack for some years now and his guidance has helped Mohammed Siraj to grow as a fast bowler.
“With the fast bowlers, he has been absolutely brilliant, standing at mid-off, mid-on and every time just being at hand to help them. I think he was absolutely brilliant and I won’t be surprised if he takes over very soon.”
Bumrah took his wickets at an incredible average of 13.06 and an even better strike rate of 28.37 before pulling up injured midway through Australia's first innings at the SCG in the final Test.
