Ricky Ponting, a former Australian cricket captain, believes that Jasprit Bumrah is capable of effectively leading the Indian cricket team in Rohit Sharma’s absence. Rohit Sharma’s availability for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy game in Perth, starting on November 22, is uncertain due to personal reasons.
Bumrah captained India in the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in 2022. Rohit Sharma was unable to play in that match due to a Covid-19 diagnosis.
Ponting acknowledges the challenges of captaincy, particularly for a bowler like Bumrah. He draws a parallel to Pat Cummins, the Australian Test captain, and the questions surrounding his ability to balance captaincy with his bowling responsibilities.
“Yeah, that (captaincy) is probably the hardest thing for him. I think that was always the question on Pat Cummins when he became the Australian Test captain as well. How much is he going to bowl himself? Is he going to bowl himself too much? Is he not going to bowl himself enough?”
Despite the challenges, Ponting believes that experienced players like Bumrah understand when to bowl and when to rest. He highlights that such players often thrive under pressure and responsibility.
“But someone as experienced as Jasprit will understand the times when he needs to be bowling, when he needs to have a spell. Guys like that tend to thrive on the extra pressure and the responsibility. He’s always been the leader of the attack for a long time anyway. Whether that’s red ball, T20 or ODIs, he’s the main man.”
Ponting also notes that Bumrah would benefit from the experience of senior players like Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant, all of whom have toured Australia before.
“In that Indian team, there’s a lot of experience around him. And it’s really important, I think, that you use the experience around you even when you are the captain, and just ask the appropriate questions at the right time because no matter how much cricket we’ve played, we’re not always going to be right.”
Ponting concludes by sharing his own experience as Australia’s Test captain, emphasizing the value of seeking advice from experienced teammates. He cites Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, and Justin Langer as valuable sources of guidance during his captaincy.
“I liked to ask the questions of Gilchrist, Hayden, and Langer. Ask them where they thought the game was, and what we needed to do. At the end of the day, as a captain, you’re the one that’s making that final decision, but whatever advice you can get along the way can only be good.”
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