Cricket News: India Vs England Jasprit Bumrah to captain the team India in the decisive test

This decision came into light following Rohit Sharma testing covid positive and Indian running out of other experienced contenders for the post. As a captain, the foremost exciting thing will be to see how he uses his bowling combination according to the situation.

It is sporadic to see a fast bowler being picked to lead the side in Indian cricket, with Kapil Dev being the only glorious exception from the past. Though Jasprit Bumrah was promoted as the vice-captain of team India against South Africa in the ODI series and test series against Sri Lanka, the bowler is yet deprived of experience to lead any side in any format. The last test match, though crucial for India to make a strong case in the World Test Championship points table, will also be seen as a match that announces the return of England's dominance in the cricket world or the downfall of an aggressive team in India. 

A complete upside down

Nothing is the same in this final test match. Team India and England have undergone a significant transformation from the four tests played last year to the fifth one scheduled on 1st July 2022. Captains, coaches, forms of the players, and the team's playing momentum have turned upside down. With India shifting under the calm and composed leadership of the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid duo, the aggressive nature of Virat Kohli led India looks to have transferred to England in a new era of Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum. 

While the transition of new roles has been smooth for England, India is still struggling to gain stability amidst injuries, covid, workload management and the form of its key players. 

While Rohit Sharma's availability is a matter of doubt, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli's form and struggles to score in international matches concern the top-order. If the top order fails to perform, many will come down to the all-rounders. As the selection puzzle for India continues for the decisive test match, England will be a huge challenge to beat in their backyard, especially after witnessing their ongoing form against New Zealand. They have positives in the form of Ben Stokes' aggressive captaincy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Stuart Broad's form with the bat and ball, respectively. Brendon McCullum's strategic factor adds strength to their players' form. Also, the team has a bankable number three player in the form of Ollie Pope. Thus, the current momentum favours England to win this final match between the two sides. 

Is Team India undercooked?

After Virat Kohli called it quits for the position, the Indian team has been struggling with the captaincy and forming a stable team. Even after announcing Rohit Sharma as the full-time captain, he has barely been able to step in the shoes owing to injury, workload management and now covid to come as a hindrance. If Jasprit Bumrah walks out for the toss on Friday, he will be the eighth man to lead India since 2021. And this highlights the main struggle for the team and coach Rahul Dravid. 

"It is what it is," Rahul Dravid said. "When I took the job even I wouldn't have predicted that there would have so many captains in the last six-seven months. That happens, right? In the times that we are living in, with Covid, there have been some unfortunate injuries to people," he added.  

Commenting on the current form of team India, England's all-rounder Moeen Ali said, "If this series had ended last year, India might have won." If you had questioned me 4-5 weeks ago, I would've predicted India's victory. But now I believe England will come out on top. "India is a little undercooked."

And the reason that India looks unprepared is much justified. India had four games under their name last year. They had sufficient net training, and now the team is just fighting to build a stable team. Uncertainty on who will open, dependency on out-of-form Virat Kohli and all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja, who have not played good games in the past few months, is a matter of concern for the team. 

The big man still hopes to lead

The best thing for India is that Rohit Sharma recovers from Covid and gets fit enough to lead team India in these times of adversity. He has an excellent track record as a captain and plays at the top of the order. He carries a remarkable average of 42.36 while playing for England, making his contribution extremely valuable for the team. India will need his anchoring knock as an opener to win the game.

While there is not much clearance on the decision taken about Rohit Sharma, coach Rahul Dravid said, "Our medical team is monitoring him. He has not yet been ruled out. He needs to get the negative tests to be available. And then we'll see obviously, he'll have to come out of that and it's really up to the medical team and the sports science team to decide on that."