Team India are set to reveal a new-look Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England, starting on 20 June. With the retirement of Rohit Sharma, a new captain will also be chosen, with Shubman Gill being the frontrunner. However, as per media reports, bowler Jasprit Bumrah was the ideal pick for BCCI for the captaincy role, until the 31-year-old pulled out of contention on his own accord. (Live Blog)
The pacer was reportedly picked as an ‘easy’ pick as the Indian skipper, but pulled out of the race citing workload management. Bumrah had previously led the Indian Test side in three red-ball matches, and would have been a prime candidate for the skipper position.
However, the bowler reportedly informed the BCCI that he would be unable to commit to all five Test matches in the England series, instead focusing on his fitness issues after coming back from a long injury layoff.
Bumrah has been suffering from recurring back issues and missed the Champions Trophy and the early stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
However, with Bumrah stepping aside, the focus is now on who the new skipper will be, with opener Shubman Gill likely to be handed the baton, with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul also being on the running.
The new captain of the Indian Test team will be announced at 1:30 PM IST today, on 24 May.
