Too early to consider Jasprit Bumrah as Rohit’s successor, says Kapil Dev

Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev has weighed in on the debate surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s potential as a future Indian captain, stating that it is “too early” to make such judgments. While some fans have backed Bumrah to succeed Rohit Sharma as captain, Kapil emphasized the importance of evaluating a player’s leadership skills over time and through challenging circumstances.

Speaking at an event on Monday, Kapil said, “I think it is too early to talk about that. With one performance, you can’t say he is one of the best, and with one bad performance, you can’t say he doesn’t deserve that. Let the player play a lot of cricket. There will be ups and downs. Then you will judge how he reacts during difficult times.”

Bumrah, 31, has captained India twice so far. In his first outing in 2022, he led the side to a loss against England in Birmingham. His second stint as captain came during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he stepped in for Rohit Sharma, who missed the Perth Test due to personal reasons.

Under Bumrah’s captaincy in Perth, India achieved a resounding 295-run victory over Australia, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. However, Australia leveled the series 1-1 with a dominant 10-wicket win in Adelaide.

As discussions about Rohit’s future as captain continue, Kapil pointed out the importance of consistency and resilience in leadership, particularly under pressure. He also expressed confidence in the Indian team’s ability to bounce back from the Adelaide defeat, saying, “Yes, they will come back.”

With the series now evenly poised, the action moves to Brisbane for the third Test. The match is crucial for India as they aim to secure a hat-trick of Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in Australia.