Gavaskar Advocates for Bumrah as Test Captain, Dismisses Workload Concerns

While the national selectors weigh who would take Rohit Sharma's place after his stepping down from the captaincy and retirement from Tests, cricket legend and broadcaster Sunil Gavaskar suggested giving the leadership job to pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah, together with K.L. Rahul and Shubman Gill, is one of the favorites to replace Rohit as captain. But his constant fitness issues as well as the immense workload he labors under being the top pacer for India have been issues raised. These issues have before now caused Bumrah to be rested mid-series because of injuries.

The pacer had led India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this year, but had to pull out of the fifth Test at Sydney due to lower back injuries. Having gone through a long rehabilitation process, Bumrah returned to action only after sitting out the initial rounds of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

One of the main reasons for Bumrah's injury troubles is the notion that he is being over-bowled since he features in all three forms of the game. However, according to former India skipper Gavaskar, if Bumrah is made captain, then his workload concerns can be eased.

"Who better to realize what is the workload for himself than himself? If you give someone else, they would always ask for an extra over from Bumrah. If he is your No. 1 bowler, he will himself realize that 'yes, this is the time I need to take a break'. To me, it has to be Jasprit Bumrah only," Gavaskar told in an interview to *Sports Today*.

Gavaskar rubbished concerns over Bumrah's workload as a bowler, insisting that being the captain, Bumrah would have the freedom to take care of his own fitness. "I know all this sort of speculation that's going around about his workload and all that. Give it to him so that he knows how many overs to bowl, when to remove him, when to rest him, sort of like that. That would be the best thing," he added.

He also added that Bumrah would be able to skip missing any Test matches because he would know his own limitations the best. "He (Bumrah) does not necessarily need to miss a Test match. If you offer it to him, he might understand when to hold back before his body begins to collapse. To me, offer it to him. There is an eight-day gap after the first Test. There is sufficient time to recover. Then, there are two consecutive Test matches. That is okay. There's then again a gap. If you offer the captaincy to him, he will be the most appropriate one to understand when to bowl," Gavaskar suggested.

Bumrah's leadership quality was on show when he steered India to a comprehensive 295-run triumph in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series' first Test, India's biggest run-victory over Australia. He had also captained India in the Birmingham Test while they were there last time and Rohit wasn't available.