"Do bowlers have less brains that they are not able to strategize?" - Aakash Chopra on Jasprit Bumrah being likely to lead Team India
Aakash Chopra has said that it will be a huge honor for Jasprit Bumrah if he leads Team India in the fifth and final Test against England. The former Indian opener also pointed out the reasons why bowlers are generally not given the reins of a cricket team.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 during the side's practice match against Leicestershire ahead of the Edgbaston Test. Bumrah will captain Team India if the veteran opener does not recover in time to play the game.
With Jasprit Bumrah becoming Indian captain, India is set to have 6 different captains in 2022, which is their highest of any calendar year.
India played 5 captains in 1959.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra had the following to say about Bumrah being likely to be at the helm for the series decider:
"Jasprit Bumrah is going to lead in the Edgbaston Test, this is a huge thing. It's a huge honor. A lot of people ask why a bowler cannot be the captain? Do bowlers have less brains that they are not able to strategize?"
The cricketer-turned-commentator dismissed the notion that bowlers cannot be good captains. Chopra explained:
"Dismiss that totally, their brains work more than batters because they have the ability to read different batters, workload management, what lines to bowl, it's a very intelligent job. So it is not that bowlers cannot become good captains."
Anil Kumble was the last bowler to lead Team India in Test cricket. Bumrah will become the first fast bowler to captain the Indian side after Kapil Dev if he shoulders that responsibility in the final Test against England.
"Either you overbowl or underbowl yourself" - Aakash Chopra on problems faced by bowler-captains like Jasprit Bumrah
Aakash Chopra highlighted that bowlers as captains have the tough call of managing their own overs. He elaborated:
"There are multiple reasons why bowlers are not able to become captains. One big reason is that they are not able to manage their overs properly. Either you overbowl or underbowl yourself, it is a huge huge problem."
The 44-year-old pointed out that bowlers don't want to be seen misusing their power apart from thinking about their team's interests. Chopra observed:
"When do you get yourself to bowl is one question, and then how long you get yourself to bowl is the second question, which is very difficult to understand. You want to be unbiased, you want to be neutral. You think about what is best for your team but you also think that no one should think that you are misusing the authority you have."
Aakash Chopra added that bowlers also have to think about their own bowling plans apart from strategizing for the team and cannot take a break as well if they are the captain. Considering the above factors, the reputed commentator doesn't consider Jasprit Bumrah a long-term captaincy option for Team India.