NEW DELHI: Because Jasprit Bumrah has always enjoyed accountability and taking on challenging tasks, he is excited about the chance to captain India against bitter rivals Australia in a highly anticipated Test series opener in their home ground.
Following the Edgbaston Test match against England in 2022, Bumrah will skipper the team for the second time without Rohit Sharma, and the 30-year-old wants to handle things his own way.
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“I don’t look at captaincy as a post but I have always loved responsibility,” Bumrah said at a press conference ahead of the first Test.
“I wanted to do the tough job since I was a child. You want to do things and get thrown in tough scenarios, this adds a new challenge for me,” India’s pace spearhead said, summing up his feelings about leadership.
He is aware that it is only for one Test match, and despite his best efforts to appear as though he wants to be in the moment, it was obvious that he would prefer to take on a leadership role in the future.
“Obviously, I won’t be telling Rohit ki main kar leta hoon (I would do this) (laughs). He is our captain and he is doing a wonderful job and right now it’s one game and you don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” Bumrah tried to put things on record.
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“In the next game, things change and that’s how cricket works. Right now, I am in the present. I have been given a responsibility. I did it once and enjoyed it thoroughly. I am thinking how I can contribute to the best of my capacity. Future, I can’t control it.”
Bumrah is also aware that trying to emulate someone else’s leadership style is ineffective.
“You have to find your own way as you can’t blindly copy anyone. Virat and Rohit have been very successful and have gotten results but my way is that I have always never followed a copybook plan.
“And even with my bowling you can see, I go with my instincts and that’s how I have always played my cricket. I have a lot of faith in my guts and instincts,” Bumrah said.
He commended Pat Cummins for his “phenomenal job” with the Australian squad and said that fast bowlers are “tactically smart” and make effective captains. He also gave the example of Kapil Dev.
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Do bowler captains have a tendency to bowl too much or too little themselves?
“Well, I look at it in a different manner. I can manage myself the best when I am the captain. I know when I am fresh and I know when I need to push myself, and I know when I have to take extra responsibility,” he put forth his case in a strong manner.
“I look at the advantages. I understand that the wicket is changing, you have to understand what field settings are good at the moment and obviously bowlers are more data driven and research oriented than batters and that’s how the game is headed.”
“There are more positives than negatives. Yes, there are challenges but you want to be tested and you want to face challenges.”
Even when others have taken the lead, Bumrah has always considered himself the group’s leader.
“I am always wanting to add more when Rohit is there and when Virat was there. I tried to learn from them and when I became a senior player, and new guys started coming in, I started passing on information.
“That’s how I look at it. It feels good and there is no greater honour than leading your country. I have always wanted to play this format, and very few players have played this format, and captains are even less, so I am very privileged and happy to be in this position.”
