"Don't burden Bumrah with captaincy": Ravi Shastri backs Gill or Pant for India's Test leadership

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has made it clear—while Jasprit Bumrah might have all the qualities of a leader, now is not the time to hand him the Test captaincy. His concern? Bumrah’s fitness. The star pacer has been in and out of action in recent months, and Shastri fears that adding the pressure of captaincy could take a toll on his already strained body.

Bumrah had a sensational outing against Australia in Perth last November, where he led India to a thumping 295-run victory. That performance sparked chatter about him being a frontrunner for the red-ball captaincy. But things changed quickly. After India’s tough loss in Sydney earlier this year, Bumrah was sidelined for over three months due to a recurring back issue—a problem that has haunted him before.

Speaking on the ICC Review show with Sanjana Ganesan, Shastri reflected on the situation candidly. “Honestly, I thought Bumrah would be the natural choice after the Australia series,” he said. “But I wouldn’t want him to take on the captaincy and then risk losing him as a bowler. His body needs to be handled carefully, one game at a time.”

He emphasized that IPL cricket, where Bumrah has been playing four-over spells, is a very different ball game compared to the demands of Test matches, where bowlers have to deliver long spells across multiple days. “The real test will be when he’s bowling 10-15 overs in a day again. And the last thing you want is captaincy pressure affecting that.”

Ravi Shastri backs Gill and Pant for leadership

Shastri believes it’s time to look ahead and start grooming someone young, someone who can grow into the role. His top picks: Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.

“Gill has looked really good. He’s young, he’s got time, and he can be developed into a strong leader,” Shastri said. “Pant is another exciting option. These two have a solid decade of cricket ahead of them.”

Both players are currently captaining in the IPL, Gill with Gujarat Titans and Pant with Lucknow Super Giants. And while both are learning the ropes, it’s Gill who has really stood out this season, leading GT to eight wins in 11 matches with composure and clarity.

For Shastri, it’s about long-term thinking. India needs a captain who can grow into the role without being rushed and one whose appointment won’t come at the cost of losing a key player like Bumrah to injury.

“I just don’t want Bumrah to burn out,” Shastri said. “We need him fit, firing, and leading with the ball, not burdened with too many responsibilities.”