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Jasprit Bumrah dropped a bombshell by revealing it was his own decision not to take up the captaincy role. Speaking with Dinesh Karthik on Sky Sports, the Indian pacer shared that the BCCI had offered him the job, but he decided to step aside and focus on his bowling.

There was a full-blown saga surrounding the Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire from the format. While many names were floated, the two serious contenders were Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill, with the latter eventually selected.

"Before Rohit and Virat (Kohli) retired during the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI about my workload going forward in a five-Test match series. I've spoken to the people who have managed my back. I've spoken to the surgeon as well, who's always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads," Bumrah said.

"I did speak to him, and then we came to the conclusion that I have to be a little smarter. Then I called the BCCI and said, 'I don't want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won't be able to give all the Test matches in a five-Test match series.'"

Bumrah had earlier led the Indian Test side in two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sharma’s absence. Although he impressed with his decisions on the field, he believes that the Indian Test team needs stability and continuity going into the new World Test Championship cycle.

"Yes, the BCCI was looking at me for leadership. But then I had to say no, that it's not fair for the team as well—that in a five-Test match series, three matches somebody else is leading, and two matches somebody else is leading. It's not fair to the team. And I always wanted to put the team first."

Bumrah has been a tremendous asset for India across all formats. In Tests, he has taken 205 wickets in just 45 matches, boasting an outstanding average. He argued that it’s not captaincy that defines leadership, but the commitment to the team.

"Even if me being there as a player offers a lot more—not just as a captain. The captaincy is a post, but you always have leaders in the team. And I wanted to do that. If I'm not careful, I don't know about the future, and I don't want to be in a situation where, you know, I have to abruptly go away from this format. So I thought for continuity, and it is only fair to the team, that they look at the long term, and I could help in whatever way I can.”

"But yeah, captaincy meant a lot. I had worked very hard for it. But unfortunately, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture. I love cricket more than captaincy. So I want to contribute more as a cricketer and to the Indian team as a player."

It has now been confirmed by head coach Gautam Gambhir that Bumrah will play three of the five Tests against England in order to manage his workload.

"I've prepared really well, but I have to be smart as well because I'm not growing younger by the day. So I have to keep an eye on my body and take care of it, because at the end of the day, I would love to play for longer,” said Bumrah.

"I'm still not done, in my mind. So I have to be a little smart about my workload. I want to still contribute in all three formats. So I have to be a little smart in how I operate on things right now."

Talking about Gill’s appointment as captain, Bumrah said he has full confidence in Gill’s ability and assured his support.

"I am there for him whenever he needs me, in whatever capacity. I don't want to jump in, but if I see something, I can give him a quiet word. That’s how I’ve played cricket—I want the person to be free to think about how he wants to operate."

"He obviously has a thought process. He's young and energetic. So he wants that, and that is how it should be. Whenever he comes up to me, whenever he's had a discussion with me, I'm always there for his support. And whatever he needs from me, I'm more than happy to give it."


This article first appeared on Cricket on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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