No leadership role for Jasprit Bumrah on England tour

India’s fast bowling figurehead and vice captain Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be given a leadership role on the Test tour to England starting June-end, sources in the BCCI told The Indian Express.

The ace seamer had led India to its sole win on the Australia tour at the turn of the year, apart from leading in two other Tests. But since Bumrah is unlikely to feature in all the five Tests in England as part of his workload management, the selectors are likely to seek a player who will play through the tour.

“We want a player who will be available for all five Test matches and he should be given the vice-captain’s role. Bumrah won’t be playing all five matches, so we don’t want to appoint different deputies for different games. It will be better that the captain and vice-captain should be certain and play all five Tests,” the sources said.

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It’s also learnt that the selectors want a young face, who could be groomed as a future leader, as vice-captain. From the nucleus of the current team, only two fit the category, Shubman Gill (25) and Rishabh Pant (27). Most of the other regulars, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and K L Rahul, are in their 30s while Yashasvi Jaiswal is seen as too young at 23.

The board is wary of Bumrah’s injury record, too. He suffered a back injury during the New Year Test in Sydney Test, which ruled him out for three months and forced him to miss the Champions Trophy. He also missed the first half of the IPL.

The back had hurt Bumrah in the past, too. He missed nearly 11 months of cricket including the T20 World Cup in Australia after undergoing a surgery in 2022. In fact, lower back stress injury, abdominal strain and injuries to his finger have all cost him matches in the past.

India’s Test series against England is scheduled to kick off from June 20 with the fifth and final Test starting July 31.

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Former coach Ravi Shastri, under whom Bumrah blossomed in Tests, has stressed on giving him adequate time for recovery during the series. “I would be very, very careful (with Bumrah). I would give him two Test matches at a time and then wait for the break,” he told the ICC Review.

“Ideally, make him play four (Tests). You’ll be tempted to make him play five if he starts off in a great manner, but it’s how his body pulls up. He should be given the first opportunity to say, ‘Yes, a little, (I am) feeling the niggle. A break would help’. Give him that break,” he said.

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