“He just needs to wear his captain’s cap when he is not bowling” - Mahela Jayawardene’s advice for skipper Jasprit Bumrah

Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene has advised Jasprit Bumrah to concentrate only on his bowling when he has the ball in hand. He added that the pacer can put on his captain’s hat when he is not bowling.

Bumrah will captain India when they take on England in the rescheduled Test in Birmingham, which starts on Friday. The 28-year-old was named as leader after regular skipper Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the contest due to COVID-19.

The Gujarat fast bowler doesn’t have any previous leadership experience. However, Jayawardene, who has worked with the pacer at MI for the last few seasons, asserted that there are enough seniors in the team to guide him. Speaking on the ICC Review show, he said:

“He’s got quite a few senior guys around in the team as well. Guys like Virat will definitely help him out in the middle and the rest of the boys as well.”

Sharing his own advice for the Indian pace spearhead, the former Sri Lankan captain added:

“He just needs to wear his captain’s cap when he is not bowling. When he is bowling, he needs to concentrate just on his bowling. He knows what he needs to do in that situation. He’ll probably have to field in a couple of hotspots and make sure he’s making the calls.”

Having made his Test debut in 2018, Bumrah has claimed 123 wickets in 29 matches at an average of 21.73.

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“If he can manage the pressure, then why not?” - Jayawardene on Bumrah as long-term captain

With Rohit having turned 35 earlier this year and Rishabh Pant perhaps too young to take on the leadership role, India will need another long-term option as captain soon.

Asked if Bumrah could be the answer, Jayawardene said:

“It all depends on his workload, how he manages all that. It’s crucial for India that he stays healthy. Playing all formats, it’s going to be quite tough for a fast bowler. As long as you prioritize things that you need to do… Carrying the Indian captaincy is not the easiest thing, but if he can manage the pressure, then why not?"

When Bumrah takes to the field on Friday at Edgbaston, he will become the first fast bowler since Kapil Dev in 1987 to lead India in a Test match.

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