“He is the first choice” - India’s World Cup-winning player names Rohit Sharma’s replacement for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests
Former player and 1983 World-Cup winner Madan Lal has named who he thinks should replace Rohit Sharma as India's Test captain for the upcoming tour. India will visit England for a five-Test series next month.
Madan Lal feels ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah should replace Rohit Sharma, who recently announced his Test retirement, as the captain of the team. The former player said if fit and available, Bumrah should lead the Men in Blue.
"I feel that Jasprit Bumrah is the right person to lead India. Fitness is a different thing, but if he is available and fit, then he is the first choice," Lal was quoted as saying by India Today.
Notably, Bumrah has led the Test team on three occasions. He was the captain in the fifth Test against England in 2022, which was rescheduled from 2021 (India lost).
The 31-year-old also led India in a couple of matches during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against Australia in Rohit's absence. India won the opening Test of the five-match series by 295 runs under Bumrah's leadership. Rohit had opted out of the fifth game, resulting in the pacer's return to captaincy, though India lost the match by six wickets. As captain, Bumrah has scalped 15 wickets in three Tests.
Madan Lal feels Rohit Sharma would have thought through his decision to retire from Tests
Further, the World Cup-winning player opined that Rohit Sharma would have thought through his decision to retire from Tests. Rohit recently announced his decision to retire from the longest format.
“Look, when such big players are brought in, there's no space left in the team. They automatically become the first choice. But form can come at any time. What about form? Fine, their performance hasn't been great. But whatever decision they made regarding retirement, it's a personal decision. They must have thought it through, that's why they took that decision,” Lal said in the same interview.
Rohit had a poor tour of Australia, both as skipper and batter. He scored just 31 runs in three Tests (five innings), with India losing the series 3-1. The upcoming five-Test series in England is set to begin on June 20, as the first Test will be played in Leeds.