India legend Rohit Sharma recently announced his retirement from Test cricket. The Indian opener, who confirmed his retirement from the format via Instagram on Wednesday, said he will continue playing ODIs for India.
The sudden retirement of former India captain has put everyone in shock. The BCCI selection panel is now tasked with identifying India's next red-ball captain ahead of a challenging five-match series in England, starting in June.
Several names like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul have emerged as strong contenders to take over. However, reports suggest that Jasprit Bumrah, despite his prior captaincy stints, may not be the frontrunner due to workload management concerns. Bumrah led India in two Tests during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and has earned praise for his leadership during those games.
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Former selection committee chair MSK Prasad, however, believes Bumrah is still the best option for taking over as captain.
“Why not, man? Why not? Since he's fit now, why not?” Prasad told when asked if Bumrah should still be considered for the role.
He backed his decision by saying that Bumrah has done extremely well as the captain, whenever he was given an opportunity.
“You have three choices right now: Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul. These are the three options. If you're looking at Bumrah, he will obviously play both cycles—this one and the next—so there's nothing wrong. And whatever opportunities he's had to lead, he's done extremely well.”
"You can start with Bumrah": Prasad suggests Shubman as future leader
While Prasad acknowledged that Gill is also in the running, he stressed the importance of the young batter proving himself consistently at the top before taking over leadership responsibilities.
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“I think I'm okay with either of them (Gill or Bumrah). They're considering both. I think to start off with a series like England, we don't want anyone getting under pressure. See, I think Shubman needs one good series in England or New Zealand so he can focus on his batting. So, I think Bumrah is a fantastic leader. There's no second thought about that. You can start with Bumrah and make Shubman vice-captain," he said.
The BCCI is expected to announce the squad and leadership decision in the coming weeks as India prepares for its next big overseas challenge.
