Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has extended his support to Jasprit Bumrah for the post of Team India’s next Test captain, dismissing concerns regarding the pacer’s workload. Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will soon announce a replacement for Rohit Sharma, who announced retirement from red-ball cricket. The sub-continent team will travel to England with a new skipper.

With both Rohit and Virat Kohli stepping away from Test cricket in a span of five days, the leadership role is now open for new contenders. Bumrah, who has previously led India in Test cricket, has emerged as a top candidate due to his form and composed leadership style. Gavaskar believes that as a fast bowler, Bumrah is capable of managing his workload effectively, making crucial on-field decisions.

“Who knows his own workload better than him? If someone else is in charge, he might request Bumrah to bowl more overs. If he is your No. 1 bowler, he will himself know that ‘yes, this is the time I must take a break’. For me, the captaincy should go to Jasprit Bumrah. I’m aware of the speculation around his workload, but give it to him so that he knows how many overs to bowl, when to take himself off and when to rest. That would be the best thing,” Gavaskar stated.

“He (Bumrah) may not even need to miss a Test match. If he’s given the captaincy, he will know when to stop before his body starts to break down. For me, he should be entrusted with it. After the first Test, there’s an eight-day gap, providing enough recovery time. Then, there are two consecutive Test matches, which is manageable. There’s also another break afterward. If he’s the captain, he’ll be the best judge,” he added.

Bumrah served as the captain of India during the 2022 Test match in Birmingham against England and the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Under his leadership, India achieved a commanding 295-run victory over Australia in Perth. He also led the team in the Sydney Test when Rohit was dropped himself.

The wise men of the selection panel are likely to consider Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for the job. Gill, who was the vice-captain in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, has received praise for his leadership in the 18th season of the IPL.