Ajit Agarkar discusses why Jasprit Bumrah was not selected as the Test captain for England vs. India in 2025.

Jasprit Bumrah won’t be able to play in all five Test matches during the forthcoming England trip, according to Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the National Selection Committee. This, he clarified, was the primary reason Bumrah was passed up for the Indian Test captaincy.

An 18-man team has been announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the England tour, which is scheduled to start at Headingley on June 20. “The bowler is a great asset, but when he leads the team, the responsibility can become a burden,” Agarkar said. In order to prevent injuries, he also emphasised the importance of appropriately managing Bumrah’s bowling workload.

Not exactly booms (Bumrah), as he was the leader in Australia. Although he served as Australia’s vice captain, I believe that as a player, he is more significant to us now because he won’t be able to participate in every test match. We want him to be in shape.

At the news conference, Ajit Agarkar stated, “There’s always that extra burden when you’re leading, managing 15-16 other people, and it takes a lot out of you.”

“Rather than adding to his workload, we would prefer that he bowl as well as he does. He’s conscious of that and would prefer to take care of himself and be in good physical condition,” he continued.

Including the opening and closing games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024–2025 in Australia, Bumrah has already captained India in three Test matches. Although the bowler received recognition for his leadership abilities, assuming the full-time role of captain of the Test team was going to be difficult for him.