Jasprit Bumrah told BCCI he did not want Test captaincy due to workload concerns

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah said he told India’s cricket board (BCCI) that he did not want to be considered for the Test captaincy as his workload has to be carefully managed due to his back problems.

The BCCI picked top-order batter Shubman Gill as captain following Rohit Sharma’s decision to quit the Test format last month, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar saying they could not risk burdening Bumrah with a leadership role.

Gill will lead the side in a five-Test series against England starting in Leeds on Friday.

“I have discussed about my workloads going forward in a five-Test match series, I’ve spoken to the people who have managed my back, I’ve spoken to the surgeon as well,” Bumrah told Sky Sports on Tuesday.

“I came to the conclusion that I have to be a little more smart, so I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role.”

Bumrah had captained the side in Rohit’s absence in the first two matches of a five-Test series in Australia at the end of last year.

But the 31-year-old was then sidelined for three months after sustaining a stress-related back injury during the series finale in Sydney in January.

Bumrah, who was named the ICC men’s cricketer of the year in 2024, has suffered multiple back injuries throughout his career, including one that forced him to have surgery in 2023.

India tell Reddy to be ready for bigger bowling workload in England

He said the captaincy should not fall to someone who has to manage their workload in a five-Test series.

“I had to say no as it’s not fair for the team as well,” he added. “It’s not fair to the team if in a five-Test series, three matches somebody else is leading and two matches somebody else is leading.

“I always wanted to put the team first.”