IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah to captain India in Australia; BCCI sidelines Shubman Gill

Jasprit Bumrah has been officially named the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, starting on October 16 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, October 11, announced the squad for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand at home with Bumrah returning as Rohit Sharma’s deputy, which is a clear hint that the premier pacer is likely to take over India’s Test captaincy in the future.

Jasprit Bumrah set for Test captaincy as Rohit Sharma’s deputy, ready to step up on Australia tour

India’s Test squad sees just one change from the recent Test series against Bangladesh at home, with Yash Dayal missing out from the 15-member lineup for the New Zealand Tests. But it’s the inclusion of dynamic reserves that’s caught everyone’s attention, with pace talents like Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna joining the ranks.

The rising all-rounder Nitish Reddy, who recently stunned fans with a game-changing performance against Bangladesh, also earned his spot among the reserves. However, the continued absence of seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami has cast doubt over his participation in the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 later this year in Australia.

Adding fuel to the fire, a PTI report claimed that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma could miss at least one of the first two Tests during the upcoming five-match Test series in Australia. If that happens, India’s stand-in captain will be Bumrah, who already led the team in a Test match against England in Birmingham back in July 2022.

Jasprit Bumrah set to captain Team India on Australia tour

With the Australia tour approaching, Jasprit Bumrah’s vice-captaincy was reportedly a strategic move to prepare him for a bigger role if the need arises.

Meanwhile, an Indian Express report claimed that the Indian selection committee is expected to continue relying on Jasprit Bumrah as the stand-in captain in Test cricket if Rohit Sharma has to step away from any future games, including on the upcoming Australia tour.

It is being said that Bumrah is being groomed for more leadership responsibilities in the longest format of the game. With India set to embark on a five-match Test series in Australia this November, it is confirmed that Bumrah will step in as captain if Rohit Sharma misses any of the matches due to personal reasons.

There was not a vice-captain during India's recent two-match Test series against Bangladesh, but now their decision to re-appoint Bumrah as a vice-captain for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand seems aimed at preparing him for the big role, if the situation demands it.

India’s squad for New Zealand Tests:

Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

Traveling Reserves: Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana.

Notably, the first Test between India and New Zealand is scheduled to start on October 16 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, followed by the second Test on October 24 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The third and final Test will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from November 1.