The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy kicks off tomorrow, with the first Test set to take place in Perth. Jasprit Bumrah will mark a major milestone, playing his 200th match in an Indian jersey.
This landmark game will hold even greater significance for Bumrah as he steps in as captain in the absence of regular Test skipper Rohit Sharma.
Following a trophy photo session with Australian captain Pat Cummins this morning, Bumrah represented India at the pre-match press conference. The 30-year-old fast bowler not only tackled a barrage of questions but also humorously corrected a journalist’s slip.
When a reporter referred to Bumrah as a “medium-pacer” while asking about his feelings as India’s captain, Bumrah jokingly replied, ‘You called me a medium-pacer? Come on, man, I can bowl at 150 km/h. At least call me a fast bowler-captain!’ (laughs).
He quickly shifted back to a serious tone befitting a fast bowler-captain, saying, ‘I am one of the fast bowler captains, and there are many examples of success. Fast bowlers are sharp thinkers. Pat (Cummins) has been successful, as was Kapil Dev before him. Hopefully, this will mark the start of a new trend.’
This won’t be Bumrah’s first stint as captain. He has led India thrice before: the Edgbaston Test against England in 2022 and a two-match T20I series against Ireland last year. On each occasion, he filled in during Rohit Sharma’s absence.
In 2022, Rohit had to miss the Edgbaston Test after testing positive for COVID-19. By then, Virat Kohli had stepped down from captaincy across all formats, leaving Bumrah to take the reins. During the Ireland series, Rohit was rested, and now he is on paternity leave.
Bumrah is eager to lead the team in his unique way, saying, ‘You have to find your own path; you can’t imitate someone exactly. Of course, Rohit and Virat Kohli were successful, and the team benefited from their leadership. But copying someone was never part of my approach, even in bowling. I rely on my instincts, and that’s how I’ve always played.’
