"We've seen Cummins, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan.." Jasprit Bumrah discusses fast bowlers as captains

Jasprit Bumrah has captained India in one test and two T20Is so far.

Championing for fast bowlers to be given captaincy roles, Jasprit Bumrah opined that pacers are the “smart people”.

Apart from being lauded as arguably the best fast bowler in the world, the premier India seamer is hailed as one of the most astute cricketers of his generation.

Recently, he gave his view on why fast bowlers should be trusted with the responsibility of captaincy. He cited Pat Cummins, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan, three World Cup-winning skippers, as examples of successful fast-bowling captains.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Bumrah said, “I feel bowlers are smart people because they have to get the batsmen out. Bowlers have to do the hard job and are not hiding behind a bat, they’re not hiding behind a flat wicket. We’re right in the firing line. When we lose a game, it’s usually the bowlers who are blamed. So it’s a hard job.

“We’ve seen Pat Cummins doing really well. When I was a child, I’d seen Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as captains. Kapil Dev has won us a World Cup. Imran Khan has won a World Cup for Pakistan. So bowlers are the smart ones.”

I understand that our country loves big batsmen: Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah has captained India in one test match and two T20Is. Considering Kapil Dev as an all-rounder, Bumrah is the only proper fast bowler to lead India in a test.

The 30-year-old talked about how Indians have loved to see batters as their premier cricketers but he feels it’s the bowlers who drive the game.

“I understand that our country loves big batsmen and fair enough, but for me, bowlers drive the game. I come from a generation where test cricket used to be shown more on television and for me, till date, it’s the greatest format because I feel that if I do well in that, all other formats will take care of themselves,” Bumrah added.

Bumrah has been on rest from cricket since the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He could make his comeback in the upcoming test series against Bangladesh.

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