The Indian cricket team is set to take on England in a five-match test series under a new captain, Shubman Gill. It will be a challenging tour for Team India as the likes of Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, and Ishant Sharma will not be there. Shubman Gill has a young team to play with and a new role in captaincy. Still, before he became a new test captain, there was a probability that the fast bowling spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, could become the new test captain of India.

Now, Jasprit Bumrah himself has talked about it in an interview with Dinesh Karthik. He also talked about England’s Bazball approach, what the plans are, how many test matches he will play on this England tour, and more. Today, we will see why Jasprit Bumrah did not become the captain of India, and all the things he said in an interview. So let’s start.

Jasprit Bumrah on Not Becoming India’s Test Captain

In an interview with Sky Sports, Jasprit Bumrah opened up about not becoming India’s next test captain. A former Indian wicketkeeper batter, Dinesh Karthik, was interviewing Jasprit Bumrah. When asked about the captaincy, Bumrah said there are no fancy stories, no controversies, and no headlining stories to it. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) was looking at him in a leadership role, but he has denied the offer because he cannot play all the tests due to workload management. To prolong his cricket career, he has to give up the ambition of captaincy.

Bumrah said the captaincy is just a post; he wants to be a leader and try to help the team in whatever capacity he can as a player. Someone is leading in three tests, and someone else is leading in the other two tests is not good for the team. Bumrah puts the team’s interest ahead of his ambition. The fast bowler also said he will be available for Shubman Gill if he needs his inputs or any share of experience.

How Many Test Matches Bumrah Will Play in England?

As of now, there is a possibility that Jasprit Bumrah will only play three test matches in England. He confirmed that it is a part of workload management. Bumrah wants to continue playing all three formats for as long as possible. If he pushes himself more, there is a possibility that he will have to abruptly leave the longest format. Bumrah said the first test is on. They will decide on what the other two tests he will play on the go (as per the situation and scenario).

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Jasprit Bumrah on Workload Management

Jasprit Bumrah has talked about the workload management in bowling. When Dinesh Karthik asked him how a bowler prepares a body from T20s to tests (which is more grueling), Bumrah said it is all about the workload. “ You don’t have a big spike,” Bumrah said. During the IPL (Indian Premier League) as well, Jasprit Bumrah was talking to the physios, the doctors, and those who manage his back.

Bumrah said he just doesn’t bowl four overs during the IPL, but 6-8 overs, and then gradually increases so that by the time the test match comes, he will be ready to bowl and spike is not too much.

Bumrah on Bowling Long Spells in Australia

When asked about bowling longer spells in Australia, Jasprit Bumrah said Sometimes the situation demands you to push more. In Australia, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, the series was on the line, and the WTC final was still possible; that’s why they pushed further.

Bumrah also said going forward, there will be some smartness in terms of workload management. “If you play for India, you can’t say I am not going to do this and that” – Bumrah, referring to bowling only short spells or one long spell to manage workload.

The Energy is Different – Bumrah on Young Indian Team

Dinesh Karthik asked Bumrah about the energy in the dressing room after the retirement of some players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, etc. Bumrah said the energy and the vibe are different. The pacer himself is now a senior player, and the others are youngsters. He also thinks that it might help positively, as a few players are touring England for the first time, and they don’t have any excess baggage. The youngsters can be fearless and go with an attacking mindset. Bumrah is looking forward to it.

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Bumrah on Youngsters Choosing More White-Ball Over Test Cricket

Dinesh Karthik asked Bumrah about the bowlers nowadays playing more white-ball cricket than test cricket. Jasprit Bumrah thinks it’s a subjective thing. He himself loves test cricket and it is the pinnacle of the game is what he feels. But at the same time, he thinks that everyone’s mindset is different. Sometimes the body won’t allow you to play the longest format. But, if you still want to serve the game, T20s and ODIs are there.

Jasprit Bumrah on England’s Bazball Approach

Jasprit Bumrah was asked about England’s batting approach in test cricket. The fast bowler said he did not do anything differently as a plan. He just looks at himself, his strength, and enjoys what is on offer.

Referring to the Ashes First Test, Dinesh Karthik pointed out that Pat Cummins had a deep point in place. He noted this field placement came on the first day during the opening session against the English batters. On this, Bumrah said it all depends on the situation. If they put a defensive field and the bowler took a wicket, no one would question the tactics. But if it backfires, the cricket pundits will say the mindset is defensive.

So this is what Bumrah said in an interview with Dinesh Karthik. The pacer also said he is hanging out more with the bowling group. The bowlers like Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna are happy to learn more. He also said there will be a freedom from his side to a new captain, Shubman Gill.

What do you think? How much can Bumrah make an impact in the India vs England 2025 test series? In Australia, he looks like a one-man army. The team would hope that the whole bowling group will perform well in tandem. Comment on your series prediction. Thank you for reading. Keep following sportschilly.com for the latest updates, stories, news, analysis, records, and more.