Bumrah did not take up India Test captaincy because of 'workload'

Jasprit Bumrah has said that he didn't want to become India's Test captain because of workload management and that he had communicated the same to the BCCI, who were looking at him as a leadership candidate at the time.

After Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, Shubman Gill was picked as India's new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England.

"There's no fancy stories to it [captaincy]," Bumrah told Sky Sports during an interview with Dinesh Karthik. "There is no controversy or there's no headlining statements that I was sacked or I was not looked after. Before Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) retired during the IPL, I had spoken to BCCI that I have discussed about my workloads going forward in a five Test-match series. I've spoken to the people who have managed my back. I've spoken to the surgeon as well, who's always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads.

"I did speak to him and then we came to a conclusion that I have to be a little more smart. I called the BCCI and said I don't want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won't be able to give [it my] all Test matches coming a five Test-match series. So then, yes, the BCCI was looking at me at leadership. But then I had to say no. It's not fair for the team as well that in a five Test-match series, someone is leading in three matches and someone else in two matches. It's not fair on the team and I always wanted to put the team first."

During the final Border-Gavaskar Test in Sydney in January earlier this year, Bumrah had suffered a back injury. What was initially reported as back spasms then turned out to be a stress-related injury, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy and the start of IPL 2025.

Bumrah has been cautious about his workload since and is likely to play suggested caution, saying another back injury for Bumrah in the same spot where he had surgery "could be a career-ender".

"[We will] plan on the go," Bumrah said when asked about whether he would play the first, third and the fifth matches. "Three Test matches is what I'm looking at. Obviously that number is not decided. First [Test] is definitely on, that is going to happen. The rest we'll see how things are, what is the workload, what are the scenarios going on. Three Test matches is what I can manage at this moment. And I don't want to be in a desperate scenario.

"I cannot be dictating if I'd have been the captain that, 'okay, I'll only play three Test matches'. That doesn't send a good message in the team as well. All of these things in mind, trying to give my best as a player and trying to contribute to the best of my capacity. Hopefully in the games that I play, I'll give it my absolute best."

Bumrah had marked his return to action in IPL 2025, taking 18 wickets in 12 games at an average of 17.55 and economy rate of 6.67. His returns were vital to his team, Mumbai Indians (MI), making the knockouts after they had started the season with four defeats in their first five games.

Bumrah, 31, said that he had "no complaints" about his body going into the Test series in England. "The body is feeling good. All good, no issues," Bumrah said. "I played an IPL, a hectic IPL. I always try my best to look after my body and do everything that is there in my power. The weather is good. It was hot in India. Now we are experiencing a different weather."

Bumrah has been cautious against big spikes in his workload and has steadily built it up to be ready for the first Test, which begins on June 20 at Headingley.

"So, it is all about workload. You don't want to have a big spike," Bumrah said. "So even during the IPL, we had spoken to the trainers and physios, what do we have to do, how do we slowly increase our weekly workload? We were doing that in IPL. We don't just bowl four overs. We bowl six to eight overs. Then we have a weekly load and warm-ups. Even before the game, we try and squeeze in those overs.

"So eventually by the time we reach here, we are at a decent level. From here, we still have some time, we keep building it up. So, by the time the Test matches come, you're physically ready and the spike is not too much and the body is used to bowling a lot more overs."

There had been concerns around Bumrah's workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He bowled 152.1 overs in nine innings in Australia, picking up 32 wickets at 13.06. Will he be able to shoulder similarly high workloads in England or will he shift his focus to shorter spells?

"It all depends," Bumrah said. "Even in Australia, I was the captain in the first game and a little bit in the last game. But for me, it doesn't go that this is the plan going forward. Obviously, in Australia, there were certain scenarios that we had to push extra because the series was on the line.

"I was doing really well. And you wanted to be in a scenario where you wanted to give yourself the best chance and the team the best chance because you would have won that series. WTC [final] was possible.

"Having said that, whenever you play for India, you never think of, 'I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to do that, I'm going to protect myself.' But going further, you have to be smart. Sometimes the workload goes really high. There's less time between Test matches. It takes a lot out of a fast bowler. So, coming to this series, I've prepared really well. But I have to be smart as well because I'm not becoming younger by the day."