Bangar Believes Bumrah Has What It Takes to Lead

New Delhi, Jan 24 (NationPress) Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has shown his faith in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s leadership qualities, stating he has the temperament and intelligence necessary to excel as a captain.

Bumrah captained India in the first and fifth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia while regular captain Rohit Sharma was unavailable. India triumphed in the series opener in Perth by 295 runs, but faced a six-wicket defeat in the final Test in Sydney.

“Based solely on his skills, there's no doubt. Captaincy is significantly influenced by the relationship between the captain and the coach, and their mutual understanding. If Bumrah receives the right backing, similar to what Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had, he could evolve into an outstanding leader. He has demonstrated that he possesses the temperament and intelligence essential for successful captaincy,” Bangar remarked in the latest episode of Star Sports' Deep Point.

Bangar emphasized Bumrah's adaptability as a key aspect of his excellence. “The most remarkable trait of Bumrah is his confidence in the craft of fast bowling. Traditionally, fast bowlers intimidate batsmen and then dismiss them. However, Bumrah approaches it uniquely—he relies on skill rather than fear. He’s not a bowler who primarily takes wickets with bouncers. Instead, he outsmarts the batsman using in-swing, out-swing, yorkers, and slower balls,” he stated.

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta reflected on Bumrah's game progression and his extraordinary development over the years, saying, “People often discuss the distinctiveness of his bowling action. In the initial years, that novelty made it challenging for batters to decipher him. However, the true greatness of Jasprit Bumrah is that he has been playing for 5–6 years across all formats, yet batsmen still find it hard to figure him out. Thus, I believe we tend to overstate the novelty factor; it’s more about his capacity to keep evolving.”

When inquired about potential improvements in Bumrah's game, Bangar acknowledged his comprehensive skills but pointed out the short ball as a possible area for enhancement. “He’s as complete a package as you can find. If I had to highlight one improvement area, it might be his short ball. Overall, Bumrah is a bowler who can do it all. There’s no question regarding his versatility and skill,” he added.

The discussion wrapped up with Deep Dasgupta lauding Bumrah as a generational talent, a bowler whose influence will resonate for years. “In many respects, yes. He’s shattered stereotypes concerning red-ball bowling, proving that even yorkers and slower deliveries can be potent. Bumrah is a generational talent, and it will be a considerable time before we encounter someone of his caliber again,” he concluded.