According to former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, a bowler as captain of India’s Test side will be “challenging”
Since Virat Kohli’s resignation as India’s Test captain at the end of the three-match series in South Africa last month, there have been many rumours over who would take over as the team’s skipper in the sport’s longest format. One of the names that has been doing the rounds is that of speedster Jasprit Bumrah. There are other potential captains among India’s bowlers as well, with Ravichandran Ashwin being among the most experienced players in the side. However, according to former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, a bowler as captain of India’s Test side will be “challenging”.
Asked whether Ashwin could serve India well as Test captain during an interview with Sportstar, Arun said, “There was also a debate on Bumrah captaining the side. The thing is will they play all Tests? With the workload management in place, would Bumrah be playing all Tests? What if in the middle of a series, he has to take a break? Then you have a change in leadership again.”
He explained that due to possible changes in strategy, having a bowler as captain may not benefit the team.
“I feel it is not advisable to change a leader midway through a series unless the captain is injured. The same with Ashwin; what if your combination changes? I would think with the present scenario, bowler becoming a captain will be challenging,” explained Arun.
“You also take into account the different kinds of pitches you play on… What if you need to play just a lone spinner abroad and it happens to be Ravindra Jadeja because of the team strategy… then it becomes a problem, so I would rather pick a batter as a Test captain,” he added.