'Kapil Dev's Legacy Looms Over Jasprit Bumrah as India Faces Concern over Rohit Sharma's Absence'

India seems to have everything under control heading into the series opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, but the absence of Rohit Sharma could still prove to be a significant setback. Rohit, who is on paternity leave and has not yet traveled to Australia, will miss the first Test in Perth, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as captain in his place. While Rohit is set to lead the team in the second Test in Adelaide, former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad believes that his absence will be felt, despite the team's strong batting lineup. Azad is confident that India has the depth to overcome this challenge, but acknowledges that Rohit's leadership will be missed on the field.

While there is no denying Bumrah's leadership capabilities, he has only captained India thrice – once in a Test match against England in Birmingham, which India lost and twice against Ireland in T20Is. However, neither comes close to the kind of test playing a Test match in Australia poses. From finalising India's Playing XI to making every minute tactical decision and leading the pace attack, Bumrah has a lot on his plate, with each having a crucial bearing on India's chances in the match.

"Nobody is weak or strong by one player. But yes, Rohit, being the captain, has led from the front, he will be missed. Yes. It's a point of worry. And since he's been the captain for a long time, nobody's indispensable. But then again, he is the most important cog in the wheel as far as the Indian team is concerned. So we expect him to do well," he told Times of India.

Can Jasprit Bumrah emulate Kapil Dev's captaincy traits?

When Bumrah captained India in the fifth rescheduled Test at Edgbaston two years ago, he became the first Indian fast bowler since the great Kapil Dev to lead the Indian team in whites. Come Friday, Bumrah would be expected to produce results like him too. While some players' performances are affected by captaincy, Azad believes it will be interesting to see how Bumrah responds.

In Edgbaston, Bumrah picked five wickets – 3/68 and 2/74 – and smashed Stuart Broad for 35 runs in an over – the most expensive in Test cricket. India would be hoping for the same with the bat but a lot more with the ball as Bumrah leads his troops at the Optus Stadium.

"I played with Kapil Dev, one of the greatest all-rounders in the world. Captaincy never hampered his performances. It depends on the situation. If your team is playing well, and your changes give you results, then you're a good captain. If it doesn't give you results, then you're a bad captain," said Azad.

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