Exclusive: India's Test Future in Question as Bumrah, Gill, Pant and Rahul Emerge as Captaincy Contenders

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's recent retirements from Test cricket have opened two spots in the Indian team ahead of their five-match Test series in England, beginning June 20 in Leeds. Kohli has been the more successful captain, with 40 wins in 68 Tests, compared to Sharma's 12 victories in 24 matches.

Besides selecting two batters, the think tank has to appoint a new Test captain and start afresh in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

There are rumours that the 25-year-old Shubman Gill might inherit the captaincy as he has age and time on his side, despite competition from senior players like Jasprit Bumrah (31), KL Rahul (33), and Rishabh Pant (27). 

A Sky Sports report suggests that Bumrah may not commit to all five Tests in England to manage his injuries, potentially impacting his captaincy chances.

Let Bumrah lead for a short period?

Sanjay Jagdale, former selector and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, felt the current selectors should pick a captain who would play all formats. 

"I am not sure about the youngsters. I would love to see Bumrah lead the side for some time. In 2007, we had picked Anil Kumble as Test captain once Rahul Dravid relinquished his position, ahead of the tough Australia tour. MS Dhoni was available, but we wanted to try his captaincy in India. We thought Kumble would fill the gap for a short period."

"Like Kohli, Bumrah is an all-format great whose position is certain. The only issue is fitness, but he could lead for a short period. You can also look at Rahul and Pant as they have Test hundreds in England and Australia, but regarding Gill, I first want to see how he performs as a batter in England," Jagdale told SportsBoom.com. 

There is no clarity on whether Bumrah is keen to lead. If he isn't, Jagdale reasoned, it would be a "dicey situation". He suggested that somebody should persuade Bumrah. 

"If the captaincy pressure is on the batsman, whoever is picked, it will be risky. The better thing will be to convince Bumrah and let the other guys settle down and perform in Test cricket, especially outside India. After that, you can pick whoever you want out of the youngsters as captain," he added.

The 74-year-old was cynical about picking players and captains based on their performances in the Indian Premier League. 

"You can't pick a team or captain in red-ball cricket based on their performances in white-ball cricket. I think Rahul and Pant are ahead right now as they have performed outside the continent. Out of the 12 Test centuries of Sharma, 10 of them came inside the continent, and the first overseas ton came in 2021, which is eight years after his Test debut," he reasoned.

Rahul has led India in three Tests, winning two.

Chances of a comeback for Rahane

Jagdale believed the selectors could also take a chance with Ajinkya Rahane as he is captaincy material. Though the right-hander fell off the radar after the tour of the West Indies in 2023, the veteran administrator felt he could be a good choice to lead in Sharma's absence.

Plus, he has been a regular in domestic cricket as Mumbai's captain. 

"Why can't you have someone like Rahane leading the side in Sharma and Kohli's absence? Even with the two of them around, we were struggling, and Rahane is experienced and has a good captaincy record, has a Test hundred at Lord's too."

"The selectors can even think of having Cheteshwar Pujara back. Both Rahane and Pujara have the experience that India needs in England," said the man, who had spotted talents such as Narendra Hirwani, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Murali Kartik, and VVS Laxman."

It remains to be seen who takes the Test legacy forward. "If a player struggles to find a place in the XI and you have to look for replacements, then that player is not your captain," added Jagdale, before thanking Kohli and Sharma for their contribution to world cricket."

"I view Kohli as the only all-format great after Sachin Tendulkar. His discipline and dedication serve as an example for young players. Sharma excelled in white-ball cricket."