‘Jasprit Bumrah deserves captaincy’ — R Ashwin backs fast bowler as next India Test captain

Jasprit Bumrah has received backing to be the next skipper of the Indian Test team from former India off-spinner R Ashwin.

The sudden retirements of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have created a leadership vacuum in the Test team and the Chennai Super Kings spinner feels Bumrah is the right person to lead India in the tour of England.

Testing time for India

On his YouTube show 'Ash ki Baat', he said, "I didn't have an idea both (Rohit and Kohli) would retire together. This will be a testing time for Indian cricket, and I'll say this is truly now the beginning of the Gautam Gambhir era.

"The team that will tour England will be a completely new team, a transformed team where Bumrah will probably be the senior-most player. He is obviously one of the captaincy options; I think he deserves the captaincy, but the selectors will take a decision based on his physical capacity.

“Their retirements will definitely create a leadership vacuum. You can't buy experience, especially on tours like this. Virat's energy and Rohit's composure will be missed,” Ashwin said.

Shubman Gill captain?

According to multiple reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is not considering Bumrah for captaincy but is instead looking at Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill to lead the team in the longest format.

The reasoning behind the preference is Bumrah's workload management. The fast bowler recently returned from a serious injury he sustained earlier in 2025, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.

This could pave the way for Gill's ascension to Test skipper.

The BCCI is expected to announce the squad for the England series by May 24.

India will embark on a five-match Test series in England, which will begin on June 20 in Leeds and culminate with the final Test at the Kia Oval in London, beginning July 31.