"You've to make me captain" - Jasprit Bumrah breaks silence on not getting India captaincy
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has slammed the batsmen for scoring runs on flat wickets and claimed that bowlers are doing the 'hard job'. Bumrah was highly critical of the batting-friendly wickets that have often become the norm in modern-day cricket.
Bumrah is one of the most difficult bowlers to face in the current generation and probably the best all-format bowler in the world right now. Even on flat wickets, Bumrah is too good for the batters. He has a lethal yorker and a classical slower ball which makes him a difficult bowler to face.
Jasprit Bumrah tears apart the batsmen for performing only on flat pitches
While speaking at an event organized by The Indian Express, Jasprit Bumrah spoke his heart out about the challenges faced by the bowlers in modern-day cricket.
When asked about the bowlers becoming an option for captaincy, Bumrah reckoned that bowling is physically stressful and that's the reason why we often see batters as captains. The 30-year-old even gave some examples of bowlers leading their countries and doing extremely well.
"Because bowlers are doing the hard job. They are not hiding behind a bat. They are not hiding behind a flat wicket. When you lose a game, bowlers are blamed. It is a hard job. I take a lot of pride doing that job. You have to face a lot of challenges. Because of these challenges, bowlers find new ways to succeed," Bumrah said at the event.
"Fighting the odds make you a lot braver, leadership needs you to be brace. We have seen Pat Cummins doing really well. I have seen Wasim Akram captaining. Kapil Dev and Imran Khan have won a World Cup. Bowlers are the smart ones. Sometimes, physically it is stressful, that's why leadership goes to batters. In my opinion, bowlers are the smart ones," the fast bowler added.
"I feel the bowlers are the smart people" - Jasprit Bumrah
India recently made some leadership changes after Rohit Sharma's retirement from the T20I format. The selectors appointed a new T20I captain in Suryakumar Yadav and also named Shubman Gill as vice-captain for both the white-ball formats.
When Bumrah was asked whether he was considered for the captaincy, he clearly said that it was above his pay grade. Bumrah also reminded the people that bowlers are doing a hard job as the bats keep getting better and the ground keeps getting smaller.
"I cannot go to the team and tell, now you have to make me captain. It is above my pay grade. I feel the bowlers are the smart people, as we have to get the batters out. We are always fighting the odds as the ground are shorter, the bats are better. I don't remember any article or technology coming to swing the ball a lot more. People enjoy the ball being thrown around and enjoy sixes being hit," Bumrah said.
Jasprit Bumrah played a vital role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph last month. The 30-year-old picked up 15 wickets in just 8 matches at an average of 8.26 and an economy rate of just 4.17.
