Having not led previously ever in a first-class game, Jasprit Bumrah is now leading Team India in the crucial rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Bumrah was given over the reins after Rohit Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 once again on Thursday morning. Team India head coach Rahul Dravid said that he has had conversations with Bumrah, and the side would need him more as a bowler rather than captain.
“He is a thoughtful individual; he thinks about the game. He understands the game quite well, he understands his bowling exceptionally well. He is keen and he is always having conversations about the game. Also, I think he commands the respect of the team and I think it is an important thing as the leader. He ticks that box as well. the tactical side of things, the captaincy side of things, the bowling changes,” Dravid said in a chat with Sanjana Ganesan on the Sony Sports Network.
“He is only going to get better. He has not captained a lot so it is going to be challenge but we will support him through that. It is not easy for a fast bowler to captain as well considering the fact that he has to look after his own bowling, he has got to set fields while he is bowling. I have had a couple of conversations in the last couple of days, we probably need him more as a bowler rather than a captain. Captaincy is something, the more you do, the better you get,” he added.
