With Rohit Sharma stepping away from Test cricket, India finds itself at a crossroads in leadership. As speculation grows around who will take the reins next, former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has added his voice to the debate, urging selectors to assess Jasprit Bumrah’s merit rather than limiting his role due to injury concerns.
Manjrekar made a pointed observation about Rohit Sharma’s recent leadership stint, highlighting that even as a full-time captain, Rohit led only three of the five Tests during the last series in Australia. “If Bumrah’s availability because of injuries is the issue, didn’t we have Rohit captain India in just 3 of the 5 Tests in Aus recently?” he asked, drawing attention to a precedent that challenges the current apprehensions around Bumrah’s potential as a long-term Test leader.
While Bumrah has long been seen as a natural leader in the squad, doubts persist due to his history of injuries and workload management. But Manjrekar questioned whether these doubts have been unfairly prioritized. “Has Bumrah said he won’t captain India? Or has he ruled himself out of the England series?” he tweeted, pressing for clarity rather than assumptions.
The leadership discussion comes at a crucial moment, with India preparing for a challenging series in England starting June 20. Though Shubman Gill has emerged as a promising option for the future, Manjrekar’s remarks suggest that experience and temperament, both of which Bumrah possesses, should not be dismissed lightly.
Having already captained India in three Tests—including the crucial fifth match against England in 2022—Bumrah’s credentials are not in question. What remains to be seen is whether the team management and selectors choose pragmatism or preservation as India transitions into a new phase of Test cricket.
