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Photograph: (Source: Al Jazeera)
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is searching for a new captain for the game's longest format after Rohit Sharma declared his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, May 7. Shubman Gill is the front-runner, according to a number of reports, but KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah were also rumoured to be in the running.
According to a source on Sky Sports News, "Jasprit Bumrah has opted out of being India's next Test captain, with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant now the front runners." Bumrah served as Rohit's deputy in the last two Test series, which were played against Australia away and New Zealand at home.
Jasprit Bumrah Out from Captaincy:
KL Rahul, meanwhile, is not vying for the esteemed position. Since making his debut for his country in 2014, the Karnataka batsman has participated in 58 Test matches, 85 ODIs, and 72 T20Is. In addition, he has led India in three Test matches, twelve One-Day Internationals, and one Twenty20 International. India won two and lost one of the three Test matches he captained. However, a recent report claims that Rahul's age (33) and inconsistency are the main reasons he is not being considered for the position of India's red-ball captain.
The report read, “It is understood that KL Rahul isn’t being considered as an option, as he is already 33-plus, and consistency has been an issue with the Bengaluru player even though he was one of the better performers in Australia."
Bumrah, who has frequently stated his wish to lead India as captain, made his Test captaincy debut on July 1, 2022, against England in the postponed Test match held at Edgbaston in Birmingham. He set a new world record in that game by smashing 35 runs in one over off Stuart Broad, but he was unable to keep the Indian team from losing. In total, Bumrah has led India in three Test matches and won one (against Australia in November 2024 in Perth), while India lost twice (against England in 2022 and Australia in 2025).
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