Cricket fans are in for a historic showdown this Friday as two of the world’s most prominent fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, take on the roles of captains for their respective sides in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener in Perth.
The series, beginning at the Optus Stadium, will see Bumrah leading India while Cummins, a familiar face at the helm, leads Australia.
The significance of two pacers captaining in a Test match cannot be understated. It’s a rare occurrence in modern cricket, and seeing two of the best in the game leading their nations adds an extra layer of excitement to the much-anticipated series.
Cummins expressed his enthusiasm about the unique scenario during the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“Yeah, great to see. It should happen more, seeing bowlers as captains. The New Zealand series last year with Tim Southee was good, and now seeing Bumrah in this role is great. As a fan of fast bowling, it’s always exciting,”
Cummins remarked.
Bumrah, who will be captaining India for just the second time, mirrored Cummins’ sentiments. He praised the Australian skipper for the phenomenal job he has done for his side and shared his belief that fast bowlers make good captains.
“Pat has done a phenomenal job. There are several examples of successful pace captains, like Kapil Dev. Hopefully, this is the start of a new tradition,”
Bumrah said.
Bumrah takes on the role in place of Rohit Sharma, who is unavailable for the Perth match due to personal reasons. Bumrah’s previous captaincy experience came against England in 2022, a Test that ended in defeat for India. However, he is eager to improve upon that result, hoping to lead India to a rare victory on Australian soil.
The spotlight isn’t just on Bumrah and Cummins, but also on former Indian captain Virat Kohli. After a string of underwhelming performances over recent years, Kohli is under pressure to find his old form.
Addressing the media, Bumrah had nothing but praise for Kohli, noting his dedication and form in practice sessions.
“Virat is a leader, one of the greatest we have. He was looking sharp in the nets, and we’re confident he’ll deliver,”
said Bumrah.
Kohli’s struggles have been well documented, with his recent performances yielding just two centuries across formats since 2020. Despite his lean patch, Kohli remains a formidable figure, and expectations are high as he embarks on his fifth tour of Australia—a tour that could prove decisive for his Test legacy.
On India’s preparations, Bumrah stated that the team had arrived in Perth early and practised extensively at the WACA Ground, ensuring familiarity with the conditions. He emphasised the mental readiness of the players, especially the youngsters.
“We are well-prepared, it’s all about staying mentally focused now. The youngsters have done well in the past, and we’re confident they’ll step up again,”
Bumrah added.
Bumrah also spoke about his approach to captaincy, describing it as a responsibility he embraces wholeheartedly. “I always wanted to do the tough jobs. I don’t see captaincy as a title but as a responsibility.
“I’ve learned a lot from Rohit and Virat, and it’s a privilege to be in this position,”
Bumrah shared.
He highlighted the importance of trusting his instincts both as a bowler and as a captain, stating that each leader must find their unique style instead of imitating others.
The series opener in Perth will be followed by the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. The third Test will be held at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, followed by the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. The final Test will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, concluding what promises to be a thrilling series.
India’s Squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.
Australia’s Squad for First Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.
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