Don’t thrust Test captaincy on Shubman Gill, Bumrah best option: Kris Srikkanth-OxBig News Network

World Cup-winning former India opener Kris Srikkanth has backed Jasprit Bumrah to succeed Rohit Sharma as India’s Test captain for the tour of England and beyond, saying the fast bowler deserves the honour for his contribution to the team.

Speaking to IndiaToday.in, Kris Srikkanth said he wouldn’t thrust the captaincy on Shubman Gill, insisting the young batter first needs to cement his place in the Test side. The former chairman of selectors was blunt in his assessment, stating that Gill, at present, is not a certainty in the playing XI in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) conditions.

Srikkanth dismissed concerns surrounding Bumrah’s workload, suggesting that KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant could step in as vice-captain whenever Bumrah is unavailable for a Test or two on a tour.

“Who’s a ready-made captaincy candidate now? Shubman Gill? I don’t think he is still a certainty in the XI,” Srikkanth said.

“You’re not handing the captaincy to KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant. Otherwise, you give it to Jasprit Bumrah.
“The other choice is Bumrah. You say, ‘Boss, you’re the captain’. And whichever Test match he doesn’t play, you give KL Rahul the responsibility.

“As of now, I think Bumrah should be the captain. If I were the chairman of selectors, I would make Bumrah the captain. And then I’d say, ‘Boss, play whichever matches you want to’. I’d then appoint KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, because these are certainties in the XI.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. You can’t be appointing someone as captain just for the sake of it. I don’t know what the selectors are thinking, but this is my view,” he added.

The retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket have accelerated the Indian team’s transition phase. All eyes are now on the selection committee meeting, scheduled for May 23 or 24, where the squad for the upcoming five-Test series in England will be finalised.

Several reports have claimed that the selectors and team management are keen to hand the captain’s armband to Shubman Gill as part of a long-term vision for the Test team. The selectors are reportedly concerned about Bumrah’s workload management and are hesitant to appoint him as full-time Test captain.

Bumrah was Rohit’s vice-captain and he led India in two Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024-25. While he led India to a victory in the series opener in Perth, he withdrew from the fifth and final Test midway through due to an injury.

‘DON’T THRUST IT ON GILL’

Gill, 25, made his Test debut in 2020 and has played 32 matches in the longest format, averaging 35.05. However, his average drops to below 20 in England and South Africa in his nascent career.

So far, Gill has scored 559 runs in 13 matches in SENA countries and the West Indies, averaging 25, with only two fifties in 24 innings. Since his match-winning 91 in the famous Brisbane Test in 2021, Gill is yet to cross the 50-run mark in any of these countries.

Srikkanth said it would be unwise to thrust the captaincy on Gill and instead suggested the focus should be on allowing him to cement his place in the Test side.

“A lot is being said about Shubman Gill, but he is yet to score big runs. In England, Australia, South Africa — he has never scored. That means you’re thrusting everything on him. Let Shubman Gill establish himself in Test cricket. He is a king in home conditions.”

‘WOULD HAVE CONVINCED VIRAT KOHLI’

Meanwhile, Srikkanth paid rich tribute to Virat Kohli, saying the 36-year-old was one of the best Test captains to have played the game.

The Tamil Nadu cricketer said he would have convinced Kohli to lead the Test side during the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle if he were the chief selector now.

“It’s a personal choice (retirement). But if I were the selection committee chairman, I would have requested him personally: ‘Boss, I want you to captain India for some time.’

“Now that Rohit is also not there, there’s suddenly a void when it comes to captaincy. I would have had a conversation with him before his announcement. I would’ve told him: ‘I want you to captain for the next six months or one-year period.’ I would’ve told him: do the job for however long you want and then retire,” Srikkanth said, adding that Kohli was India’s best Test captain.

‘BACK SAI SUDHARSAN IN TESTS’

With the retirements of Rohit and Kohli, India now face two crucial vacancies in the Test playing XI. Srikkanth backed young Tamil Nadu opener Sai Sudharsan to be included in the 15-man squad.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal is a sure-shot opener. Who will be his partner? We have to wait and see.

“I think Sai Sudharsan should be part of the 15.

You have to give him solid backing. Sai Sudharsan has done well in all formats, in all conditions. You’ve given Shubman Gill all the backing — please give Sai Sudharsan the same support,” Srikkanth added.

Sai Sudharsan, 23, has been making waves at the highest level. The elegant left-handed opener has already played three ODIs and a T20I for India. He has also featured in two seasons of County Cricket and proven his ability to handle pressure at the highest level in the IPL.

Sai has been one of the leading run-getters in the IPL over the last few seasons. In IPL 2025, the Gujarat Titans opener amassed 509 runs in 11 matches, forging a successful partnership with his captain, Shubman Gill.

India will head to England to begin their new cycle of World Test Championship. The former finalists will play five Tests between June 20 and August 04.