Jasprit Bumrah will most likely replace Hardik Pandya as vice-captain. Bumrah is currently leading the Indian side against Ireland, while Pandya captained in a 3-2 T20I series loss against the West Indies.
Anticipation is building as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prepares to unveil its 17-member squad for the highly awaited 50-over Asia Cup 2023 and the ODI World Cup 2023. Just ahead of this squad revelation, reports have emerged that Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian pace maestro, is poised to take on the role of vice-captain, supporting the captaincy of Rohit Sharma at the helm of the Men In Blue.
According to an insightful report by The Times of India, the curtain is set to rise on a new leadership dynamic, as Jasprit Bumrah steps into the vice-captaincy shoes, replacing Hardik Pandya.
The recent series against Ireland saw Bumrah donning the captain’s armband for the Indian side, while Hardik Pandya led Team India in the five-match T20I series, which concluded with a 3-2 loss.
Also read: Trouble for BCCI, ICC as Hyderabad refuses to host back-to-back World Cup games
Speaking to TOI, a BCCI source explained that, Jasprit Bumrah‘s leadership seniority stands out, having led the Test team in 2022 and previously served as ODI vice-captain during the South Africa tour. His experience and past roles make him a natural choice for vice-captaincy, positioning him to support Rohit Sharma effectively in both the Asia Cup and World Cup campaigns.
“If you look in terms of leadership seniority, Bumrah is ahead of Pandya as he captained the Test team in 2022. He has also been ODI vice-captain before Pandya during the ODI tour of South Africa.
Don’t be surprised if you see Bumrah being made an ODI deputy to Rohit for both Asia Cup and World Cup,” the source told TOI.
As the cricketing landscape brims with excitement, the journey for the Men in Blue kicks off in a high-stakes duel against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, marking the opening match of the Asia Cup 2023. Subsequently, the ODI World Cup journey commences on October 8, as India takes on Australia.
India Squad for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
