3 bowlers apart from Pat Cummins who would make good captains today ft. Jasprit Bumrah
Among several myths floating around in the cricketing world, the one on batters making for better captains than bowlers is the most questionable.
While history suggests that batters have been more popular choices than bowlers in the leadership role, it isn't necessarily because of their accolades as captain. Perhaps the increased chances of injuries and not being as permanent in the playing XI as batters across conditions have led to bowlers not leading their side as much as batters.
The most recently glaring example of shattering that mold was Australian pacer Pat Cummins leading the side to two ICC titles last year. Leading the Test and ODI sides over the past two years, the 30-year-old marshaled the troops admirably, helping them triumph in the 2023 World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup.
It sparked the discussion about whether more bowlers should be captains of their respective sides. Former South African pacer Dale Steyn gave his vote of confidence in a recent interview with TOI, saying:
"They (bowlers) are very good. I never captained South Africa. Fast bowlers are very good thinkers. Bowlers are very good thinkers of the game. They read the players very well. It is a tougher one (in terms of captaincy). You should be able to manage your workload, injuries as well as when to bowl and when not to bowl."
Apart from Cummins, there have also been several other stories of bowlers leading their sides with tremendous success. Kapil Dev and Imran Khan led India and Pakistan to their first ODI World Cup titles in 1983 and 1992, respectively.
Wasim Akram led Pakistan to the 1999 ODI World Cup final, and Lasith Malinga took over in the knockout stages to captain Sri Lanka to their lone T20 World Cup title in 2014.
Others like Heath Streak, Shaun Pollock, Anil Kumble, Courtney Walsh, and Daniel Vettori, among others, have been bowlers/bowling all-rounders who have successfully captained their national sides.
On that note, let us look at three present bowlers who could make for good captains.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah
One of the crucial qualities an Indian captain must possess is maintaining a thick skin amid backlashes from a strongly opinionated fan base and media. More than being a leader of men and a tactical genius, the above qualities made MS Dhoni India's most accomplished captain.
It is also critical for a captain to not let the game situation affect his decision-making, and in that sense, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah boasts most of these qualities.
A performer par excellence, the 30-year-old is a guaranteed member of India's playing XI in all formats across conditions, qualifying him for the leadership role. Bumrah has captained India in a lone Test and two T20Is.
While his bowling was impressive with five wickets, Bumrah could not come through as captain of the fifth Test against England in 2022, losing by seven wickets.
However, the champion cricketer made amends by leading the side admirably in the two T20I against Ireland last year. In his return from injury, Bumrah led India to a 2-0 series win with several shrewd moves while being named the Player of the Series.
The ability to lead by example and maintain composure under all circumstances makes Bumrah a terrific option as an Indian skipper post the Rohit Sharma era.
#2 Kagiso Rabada
A left-field captaincy choice could be one of Kagiso Rabada as South African captain in all three formats.
Temba Bavuma's frailties with the bat in the white-ball formats resulted in the Proteas having Aiden Markram as T20I skipper and possibly pondering a change in ODIs soon. Although Markram has displayed excellent captaincy skills at different levels throughout his career, his place in the Test side was in doubt until the recent century against India.
Meanwhile, Rabada is now the elder statesman in a transitioning Proteas squad and undeniably their most valuable player across formats. With outstanding numbers and an even-keel temperament, Rabada is among the few cricketers rarely ruffled by the moment.
Rabada also tends to slack off in intensity occasionally, and leadership could help South Africa's best match-winner go full throttle at all times.
At 28, the champion pacer is at the prime of his career, and making the national captain for the next four to five-year phase could help South Africa become a dominant force in World cricket again.
#3 Sam Curran
England bowling all-rounder Sam Curran could be another one capable of captaining the national side.
Despite no leadership experience at the highest level, the 25-year-old displayed tremendous promise as a leader for the Punjab Kings in IPL 2023. With regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan out for three games, Curran led the side to two wins against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI).
And what was most impressive was his ability to raise his performance when captain, evidenced by a three-wicket haul and a half-century in the two wins.
With current limited-overs skipper Jos Buttler getting up there in age at 33 and struggling as a leader in England's dismal 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, the time might be right for Curran to be entrusted in the role sooner rather than later.