Gill can be Test captain whenever 'automatic choice' Bumrah needs rest: Jaffer

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) Amidst the debate over who should be appointed as India’s new Test captain, former opener Wasim Jaffer said Shubman Gill should lead the Test team on the upcoming tour of England whenever ‘automatic choice’ Jasprit Bumrah needs rest.

With Rohit Sharma announcing his retirement from Tests earlier this month, Gill has been widely seen as a front-runner to lead a new-look Indian Test team in the five-match series in England, starting on June 20 at Headingley. India hasn’t won a Test series in England after the 2007 tour, where they won 1-0 under Rahul Dravid’s leadership.

“I think Bumrah is an automatic captaincy choice, unless he doesn't want the responsibility. He should be the captain with Gill as VC - stepping in whenever Bumrah needs rest. This way Gill could also be groomed without the pressure of being the full time captain,” wrote Jaffer, who played 31 Tests for India, on his ‘X’ account on Friday.

Apart from Gill, who is currently the captain of Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025 and Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are also in the race to be India’s next Test captain. Bumrah has captained India in three Tests, and was at the helm when they won the Perth Test in last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.

But his fitness issues mean Bumrah is not a certainty yet to play all five Tests on the tour of England. Bumrah suffered a back injury during the final Test of the Australia tour at the Sydney Cricket Ground and didn't bowl at all in the second innings.

That back injury, which previously needed an operation in early 2023, also resulted in Bumrah missing India’s victorious 2025 Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai. Rahul, meanwhile, led India in three Tests, including a 2-0 series win in Bangladesh in December 2022. India are also scheduled to play Tests against England in Edgbaston (July 2-6), Lord’s (July 10-14), Old Trafford (July 23-27) and The Oval (July 31 to August 4).

--IANS

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