India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has shed light on his equation with new Test captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir. In a conversation with Sky Sports, Bumrah disclosed that he had turned down the BCCI’s offer to take up the full-time Test captaincy, a role that eventually went to Gill.
Bumrah stated that he shares a strong rapport with Gill and is always available to offer suggestions when needed. However, he believes a captain must be given the freedom to grow, and as a senior player, it's important not to overwhelm Gill with too much input.
"In my experience, you have to give freedom, and you have to be there for the player. I am there for him whenever he needs me, in whatever capacity. I don't want to jump in, and if I see something, I would give a quiet word. That's how I have played cricket. I want the person to be free about how he wants to operate.
He is young and energetic, and he has his own thought process, and that is how it should be. If he needs anything from me, I will always be there for him," Jasprit Bumrah told Dinesh Karthik in a Sky Sports interview.
Bumrah acknowledged that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a significant task ahead during India's transitional phase in Test cricket. He noted that the Indian squad touring England is quite different from previous sides, and the coaching staff will need to remain composed and patient to steer the team through a challenging two-month, five-Test series.
Speaking about Gambhir’s coaching approach, Bumrah described it as highly individual-focused, explaining that Gambhir prefers engaging with players one-on-one rather than addressing the team collectively.
"He is a person who is very individualistic. He will have one-on-one chats with the person where he feels that he is supposed to interfere. You know, when people are going in one direction and he has some thoughts about that. I think he is handling an interesting phase in Indian cricket. Two tours ago, our team was completely different, and right now it is heading towards a transition. They will now require a lot more patience and a lot more calm with the young players. He is very calm in his approach, and the players are nice and happy," Bumrah concluded.
For the first time since 2011, India will be playing a Test without R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli in the team.
