Shastri weighed in on the debate surrounding India’s vacant Test captaincy.
Jasprit Bumrah was Rohit’s deputy in the last Test series against Australia, and he also captained the side in two matches, but multiple reports claim that Shubman Gill is the front-runner to become India’s new Test captain.
Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, former head coach Ravi Shastri weighed in on the debate surrounding India’s vacant Test captaincy role.
Shastri urged selectors to prioritise the future and not burden India’s strike fast bowler Bumrah with captaincy.
“See for me, Jasprit would have been the obvious choice after Australia,” Shastri said. “But I don’t want Jasprit to be made captain and then you lose him as a bowler.”
He mentioned Bumrah’s recent struggle with a back injury sustained in the fifth and final BGT Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The ace pacer was out of action for nearly three months from early January until April, also missing out on India’s triumphant ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.
“I think he (Bumrah) has to take his body one game at a time. He's coming back now after a serious injury," Shastri noted.
“He'll have played IPL cricket, which is four-over cricket. Now will come the test of bowling 10 overs, 15 overs. And the last thing you want is some pressure on his mind being captain as well.”
Instead of adding strain to India’s pace-bowling spearhead, Shastri backed Gill and Rishabh Pant to take charge of the Test team.
“You groom somebody and I would say Shubman’s looked very good. Give him the opportunity. He's 25, 26 years of age, even give him time," Shastri remarked.
“There's Rishabh as well. I think these two are the obvious ones I'm looking at because of their age and they have a decade ahead of them. So, let them learn.”
Shastri further highlighted that with Rohit and Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket, India have to look forward to the future.
Gill and Pant have leadership experience, captaining their franchises (Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans) in the Indian Premier League.
“They've got experience as captains, now, captaining their franchise and that makes a difference," Shastri noted.
"The little I've seen of Shubman looks very interesting. Composed, calm, he has all the qualities,” said Shastri as he commended the temperament of the No.1 ranked batter in the ICC ODI Player Rankings.
Shastri dismissed concerns over Gill’s form overseas. “You people will talk he's not scored runs overseas. You know, that topic always comes, not scored runs overseas,” he said.
“Sometimes I tell them, go and see your own record, how much have you done overseas? Overseas, overseas, let him play, let him get a run overseas, then he'll score runs. He's a class player.”
Gill has served as the Indian vice-captain in the ODI side, and even captained India in a T20I series in Zimbabwe.
“He has a decade of cricket ahead of him for the country. And I'm sure he'll get cracking in one of the tours, he'll make up for all those runs he's not got on earlier,” Shastri concluded.
(With ICC Inputs)