Jasprit Bumrah should be made the vice-captain and groomed for captaincy – Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan gun fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah should be made the vice-captain and groomed for captaincy.

Akhtar fails to understand the notion that only batters should be made captains while the bowlers can not take the captaincy reins.

Bumrah recently stated it will be an honor and privilege to lead India’s Test team if he will be given an opportunity to lead. However, Bumrah doesn’t have any experience of leading any team in his career.

Rohit Sharma has been named as the limited-overs captain while KL Rahul is expected to be the vice-captain in the white-ball team. Furthermore, Rahul is also expected to be India’s new Test captain while Rishabh Pant is also deemed as one of the options.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s pack leader in all three formats of the game and he has performed consistently for the team. Bumrah has snared 113 wickets in 27 Test matches at an average of 22.86.

The Rawalpindi Express, as Akhtar was known during his heydays, added that fast bowlers like Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis made great captains and always led from the front.

“Why don’t you look at fast bowlers as captain. Kapil Dev was a fast bowler, wasn’t he a great captain? I don’t know why there is this notion that batsmen are more clever than us. For Pakistan, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis have all been captains,” Shoaib said on Sports Today.

“A fast bowler always goes for a win. I am not saying that the batters don’t but it is a little different. Jasprit Bumrah should be made the vice-captain and groomed for captaincy. Groom fast bowlers and all-rounders. This trend of thinking that only batters can be captain is wrong,” he further said.

Meanwhile, Bumrah is also ready to take the captaincy onus after Kohli had decided to quit Test leadership.

Bumrah had earlier said, “For me, I am ready to contribute in whichever manner I can be it in the post or otherwise”.

“If given opportunity it’s an honor, but if not then also I will try to do whatever is required to the best of my ability. My focus is to do well.”