Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has voiced his confidence in Jasprit Bumrah’s ability to lead the Indian cricket team in the absence of Rohit Sharma. With Rohit’s availability for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy game in Perth uncertain due to personal reasons, Bumrah has emerged as a leading candidate to take on the captaincy role.
Ponting’s Endorsement
Ponting, an ICC Hall of Famer, highlighted Bumrah’s experience and cricketing acumen as assets that could serve him well if he is called upon to lead India. He drew parallels with Pat Cummins, Australia’s current Test captain, noting the unique challenges fast bowlers face as captains, including striking a balance in managing their workload.
Jasprit Bumrah’s Experience
Bumrah has previous captaincy experience, having led India in the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in 2022 when Rohit was unavailable due to a COVID-19 diagnosis. Ponting believes that Bumrah’s experience and leadership qualities make him well-suited for the role.
“Yeah, that (captaincy) is probably the hardest thing for him,” Ponting remarked on the ICC Review. “I think that was always the question on Pat Cummins when he became the Australian Test captain as well. How much is he going to bowl himself? Is he going to bowl himself too much? Is he not going to bowl himself enough? But someone as experienced as Jasprit will understand the times when he needs to be bowling when he needs to have a spell.”
Ponting acknowledged the challenges of captaincy, particularly for a bowler like Bumrah. He emphasized the importance of experienced players like Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant, who bring invaluable insights and have toured Australia before. Ponting shared his own experience as Australia’s Test captain, highlighting the value of seeking advice from experienced teammates.
With India eyeing a spot in next year’s Test Championship final, Ponting believes the extra responsibility would only fuel Bumrah’s performance as the leader of India’s bowling attack. He noted that experienced players like Bumrah often thrive under pressure and responsibility.
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