3 reasons why Jasprit Bumrah as India captain for T20Is against Ireland is the right move
A fully fit Jasprit Bumrah will lead Team India in the three-match T20I series against Ireland, starting on August 18. All three games will be played in Dublin.
Bumrah hasn't played any cricket since the home T20I series against Australia in September last year. He has been at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for the last couple of months and has made significant progress, impressing NCA chief VVS Laxman and other support staff.
According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, a section of the selection committee wanted Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead the side in Ireland due to Bumrah's workload management. Incidentally, the young right-handed batter has already been named as the Indian skipper for the 2023 Asian Games. However, Bumrah was keen to lead the team.
Incidentally, the right-arm pacer has never led the Men in Blue in white-ball cricket. He captained India only once during the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Birmingham last year, which the visitors lost.
The upcoming series against Ireland will be a great opportunity for him to hone his leadership skills.
On that note, let's take a look at three reasons why Jasprit Bumrah as Indian captain for the Ireland series is the right move.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah has a calm presence on the field
In a fast-paced game like T20 where momentum shifts in split seconds, having a calm and composed approach is absolutely necessary. Bumrah calm head on his shoulders as a bowler and it is expected to reflect in his captaincy as well.
Bumrah has already proved how to handle situations when the going gets tough. During the Test against England, there was a moment when Virat Kohli dropped Jack Leach's catch. It was a crucial moment as the dismissal could have brought Ben Stokes to the crease with the Indian bowling shedding fire at the fag end of the day. There was room for getting frustrated, but Bumrah applauded Kohli for his effort with a smile on his face.
With a lot of youngsters in the squad for this series, who are new to international cricket, having a composed campaigner like Jasprit Bumrah as captain is a well-judged move.
Known for his calm personality, the leading fast bowler can help young cricketers ease their nerves in the international arena.
#2 Following the footsteps of Pat Cummins
Right-arm pacer Pat Cummins has been hugely successful as Australia's Test captain. Since his appointment in 2021 after Tim Paine stepped down from the role, Cummins has led Australia to 11 wins and five draws in 21 Tests.
The Sydney-born cricketer has had a massive influence on the team that recently retained the 2023 Ashes against England. Cummins has earned a reputation for his immaculate field placements, bowling changes, and ability to read the pitch well. He has benefitted immensely as a captain from being a bowler himself.
Jasprit Bumrah could also follow in Cummins' footsteps and has already shown his potential. He could use his experience as a bowler to take decisions, which could benefit India as Cummins' appointment has done for Australia.
#3 Having a backup captain ready
Rohit Sharma currently leads Team India across all three formats. Hardik Pandya has taken over the vice-captain's role in white-ball cricket after his immense success with the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL.
Ajinkya Rahane, on the other hand, was appointed as the vice-captain for the recently concluded two-match Test series against the West Indies.
Given that Hardik is very much prone to injuries and needs to manage his workload every to increase his shelf life, India would require a backup option. Similarly in Tests, Rahane is not a sure-shot starter anymore given his indifferent form, and the Men in Blue would want to have someone who is a regular in the playing XI.
Jasprit Bumrah, who plays all three formats and is a regular in the playing XI, could be the best backup option in case the first-choice captains are unavailable. The series against Ireland will give him enough exposure to enhance his skills.