“I don’t want Jasprit Bumrah to be made captain …”: Ravi Shastri blunts about his two pics for Test captain

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri performed on India’s ongoing Test captaincy vacuum after the retirement of seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, suggesting two youths, which could be prepared to move forward. Shastri took over the captaincy with hosts Sanjana Ganesan in the latest episode of ICC Review, urged selected people to prioritize the future and did not burden India’s Pace Mestro Jasprit Bumrah with captaincy. “Look, for me, there would be a clear option after Jasprit Australia,” Shastri said.

“But I don’t want Jasprit to be made captain and then you lose him as a bowler,” he said as quoted by the ICC.

Bumrah has captained India in three matches so far, with 295 runs in Perth a highlight in Australia. He has distanced his two other matches away from home as captains against England and Australia.

He cited Bumrah’s recent struggle with a continuous injury in the final border-gavaskar trophy match in Sydney. The 31 -year -old was out of action for nearly three months from the beginning of January to April, also missing from India’s winning ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

“I think he (Bumrah) has to take a game to his body at one time. He is now coming back after a serious injury,” said Shastri.

“He must have played IPL cricket, which is four overs cricket. Now 10 overs, 15 overs bowling will be tested.

Instead of adding tension to the spears of India’s motion-boys, Shastri supported the major factors behind this choice with his age and longevity as a probable possibilities of capturing Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.

Shastri said, “You prepare someone, and I would say that Shubman feels very good. Give him a chance. He is 25, 26 years old, even give him time.”

He said, “There is also Rishabh. I think both of these are clear that I am watching due to their age, and they have a decade forward. So, let them learn,” they said.

Shastri also emphasized the fact that Rohit and Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket, India is ready for the future, further pants or gill will have to justify as their choice for the role.

Both also have a leadership experience, captaining its franchise (Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans) in the Indian Premier League.

Shastri said, “He has got experience as a captain, now, captaining his franchise, and it makes a difference.”

Shastri said, “Everything I have seen about Shubman looks very interesting. Rachit, calm, he has all the qualities,” Shastri said that he praised the nature of the number 1 rank in the ICC ODI player rankings.

Indian legend also expressed concern over Gill’s form and soon supported him a breakthrough tour. So far in 15 distance matches, Gill has scored an average of 716 runs at 27.53, with only one century and two half -centuries in 28 innings. Since his iconic knock of 91 in Gabba, who has helped India win the series, he has not scored half a century under South Africa, England, New Zealand, or Australia (Army) conditions, success where Indian batsmen are important.

“You guys will talk, they have not scored runs abroad. You know, this topic always comes, run has not been scored abroad,” he said

“Sometimes I tell them, go and see your own record, how much work you have done abroad? Abroad, abroad, let him play, let him play a run abroad, then he will score a run. He is a class player.”

Gill has served as an Indian vice-captain on the ODI side, and even captained India in the T20I series in Zimbabwe.

Visitors won by a margin of 4–1 as Gill scored 170 runs in his five innings, in which India’s 23-run win over Zimbabwe in the third T20I was striking in 125.92 stable with a highest score of 66.

Shastri said, “There is a decade of cricket ahead of him for the country.”

He said, “And I am sure he will crack into one of the tourism, he will make for all the runs that he has not received before,” he said.