Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah opts out of Test captaincy race
The focus has now shifted to Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as the leading candidates
Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has opted out of the race to become India’s next Test captain, citing workload management as the primary reason.
This development comes after Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, May 7, prompting the BCCI to search for a new leader in the longest format.
According to media reports, Bumrah, who was initially considered a strong contender to succeed Rohit, has informed the board that he is unwilling to commit to playing all five Tests in a series.
"It is understood Bumrah, who was favourite to take over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, does not want to commit to playing all five Tests in a series due to workload. He is unlikely to feature in all five Tests against England and selectors would prefer a captain who can consistently feature across a whole series," the report states.
With Bumrah stepping aside, the focus has now shifted to Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as the leading candidates. Meanwhile, experienced batter KL Rahul is also not in contention for the prestigious role.
Despite his experience—58 Tests, 85 ODIs, and 72 T20Is—Rahul has reportedly been ruled out due to his age (33) and inconsistency in recent years.
“It is understood that KL Rahul isn’t being considered as an option, as he is already 33-plus, and consistency has been an issue with the Bengaluru player even though he was one of the better performers in Australia," the report read.
Rahul was one of India’s standout performers in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, scoring 276 runs across five matches, including two half-centuries.
He is expected to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal in India’s upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 in Leeds.
The right-hander also enjoys a decent record in English conditions, having scored 614 runs in nine Tests at an average of 34.11. His highest score in England—149 off 224 deliveries—came at The Oval in 2018.
With India preparing for a new World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle, the team is in need of a captain who can offer both stability and longevity.
It is pertinent to mention that the five-match Test series between England and India is set to begin at Headingley, Leeds on June 20. The remaining matches are scheduled to take place at Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, and The Oval.
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