New Delhi, Jan 24 Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has expressed confidence in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's leadership abilities and said he possesses the temperament and intelligence required to succeed as a captain.
Bumrah led India in the first and fifth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. India won the series opener in Perth by 295 runs, whereas in the last Test in Sydney, the visiting team suffered a six-wicket defeat.
“Purely based on his skill, without a doubt. Captaincy also depends on the captain-coach relationship and how their wavelengths align. If Bumrah gets the right support, like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had, he could grow into a great leader. He has shown that he has the temperament and intelligence needed to succeed as a captain," Bangar said in the latest episode of Star Sports' Deep Point.
Bangar also highlighted Bumrah's adaptability as a crucial element of his brilliance. "The most special thing about Bumrah is his belief in the art of fast bowling. Traditionally, fast bowlers intimidate batters and then get them out. But Bumrah does it differently—he relies on skill rather than fear. He’s not a bowler who gets wickets primarily with bouncers. Instead, he uses in-swing, out-swing, yorkers, and slower balls to outthink the batter," he said.
Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta reflected on the evolution of Bumrah’s game and his remarkable growth over the years and said, "People often talk about the uniqueness of his action. In the first 1–2 years, that novelty factor made it tough for batters to figure him out. But here’s the greatness of Jasprit Bumrah—he’s been playing for 5–6 years now, in all formats, and still, batters struggle to decode him. So, I think we overemphasise the novelty factor; it’s more about his ability to keep evolving."
When asked about any areas for improvement in Bumrah’s game, Bangar acknowledged his all-round skills but noted the short ball as one area where he could perhaps improve. “He’s as complete a package as you can get. If I had to point out one area for improvement, it might be his short ball. But overall, Bumrah is a bowler who can do it all. There’s no doubt about his versatility and skill," he added.
The discussion concluded with Deep Dasgupta praising Bumrah as a generational talent, a bowler whose impact will be felt for years to come. "In many ways, yes. He’s broken stereotypes about red-ball bowling, showing that even yorkers and slower deliveries can be effective. Bumrah is a generational talent, and it will be a long time before we see someone like him again," he said.
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