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With the Indian team set to take on Sri Lanka in a limited-overs series, the Men in Blue will be without some key players for the first time in T20Is after India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup 2024. While Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have called down curtains to their elaborated career, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rested Indian spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah.
However, with Rohit stepping down from the shortest format of the game, it’s Suryakumar Yadav who has been handed the reigns to lead the T20 champions. SKY came out on top, beating the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. When asked about this in an interview, Bumrah rather opted to drop a blunt response.
Speaking in an interview with Indian Express Adda, Bumrah said, “I cannot go to the team and tell, now you have to make me captain. It is above my pay grade.” “I feel the bowlers are the smart people, as we have to get the batters out. We are always fighting the odds as the grounds are shorter, the bats are better. I don’t remember any article or technology coming to swing the ball a lot more. People enjoy the ball being thrown around and enjoy sixes being hit,” Bumrah further added.
“Because bowlers are doing the hard job, they are not hiding behind a bat. They are not hiding behind a flat wicket. When you lose a game, bowlers are blamed. It is a hard job. I take a lot of pride in doing that job. You have to face a lot of challenges. Because of these challenges, bowlers find new ways to succeed. Fighting the odds makes you a lot braver, and leadership needs you to be brave,” he continued, citing some examples, including Pat Cummins, Wasim Akram, Kapil Dev.
Not Virat, Rohit or Dhoni: Jasprit Bumrah names his favourite captain
During the same interview, Bumrah was also asked to name his favourite captain. However, India has seen some of the great captains, likes MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Kapil Dev, Virat Kohli, the Indian speedster took a light-hearted turn and opted to name himself. “See, my favourite captain is me because I have captained a few games. Obviously, there are great captains, but I will take my name. I am my favourite captain,” he told during his interview with Indian Express Adda.
The 30-year-old although hailed Rohit Sharma for the way he led the Team India in the last couple of years. It is to be noted that Bumrah led Team India in the Birmingham Test and then suffered a back injury and underwent a surgery. At present, he serves as Rohit Sharma’s deputy in Test cricket.
