Rohit ruled out, Bumrah to lead

New Delhi, June 29: Jasprit Bumrah is set to become first fast bowler in 35 years to lead Indian Test team in the rescheduled ‘fifth Test’ against England as regular captain Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the game after testing positive for Covid-19 for the second time on Wednesday.

The last pacer-captain that India had was the great Kapil Dev, who was removed from captaincy in 1987. Since then India has never had a speed merchant leading the team in traditional cricket.

“Rohit is out of this Test match, starting July 1, as his RT-PCR test has come

positive again. He is still in isolation. Jasprit Bumrah, who is one of the vice-captains in absence of KL Rahul, will lead the team,” a senior BCCI official said.

Bumrah will be the 36th cricketer to lead India in the longest-format since the country first played in 1932. The Gujarat pacer, who has 123 wickets in 29

Tests, has grown into world’s best fast bowlers.

The chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma had already said that he is being groomed as a future leader.

Fast bowlers have not been traditionally given the job in India unlike in Pakistan where their greatest skipper was Imran

Khan. Legends like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis also led national side.

In West Indies, Courtney Walsh led the side for a considerable amount of time and world number one Pat Cummins now leading Australia in longest format. With the experienced Rohit out of the playing eleven, seasoned Cheteshwar Pujara has a good chance of opening the batting with young Shubman Gill. The soure said that Mayank Agarwal has just been brought as “cover” and is not in the scheme of things as far as playing eleven is concerned.

Former Hyderabad and India cricketer M. V. Narasimha Rao (right), known in local cricket circles as Bobjee, poses with BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah and chairman of selection committee Chetan Sharma during India’s T20 series against Ireland. Settled in Ireland, Bobjee has coached the Irish cricket team earlier. In 2012, he became the first Indian cricketer to be conferred with the Member of British Empire (MBE) medallion for his contribution to sport and also for community service through cricket during the testing times faced by the ethnic community in Northern Ireland.