New Delhi: The rescheduled Test match between India and England is being played at the Edgbaston ground in Birmingham. Regular skipper Rohit Sharma is not part of India's playing XI as he is yet to recover from Coronavirus. The team management made Jasprit Bumrah captain, while Rishabh Pant has been named the vice-captain of the team. Notably, India vs England 5th Test is pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah's maiden cricket match as captain in any format.
Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer believes that it would have been a better decision to give the captaincy to Cheteshwar Pujara instead of Bumrah. Jaffer believes that Pujara's superior experience as a captain and player makes him a better option than Bumrah.
Wasim Jaffer picks his India playing XI for India vs England Edgbaston Test
Jaffer said on Cricinfo, "I have seen Pujara captaining in first class cricket, he is a good leader. He has played around 90 (actually 95) Test matches, so I think it would have been a better decision to make him the captain."
“This (Pujara’s position in the XI) could have been a factor. Giving him the leadership for this one Test may have been a controversial decision because he had previously been dropped and has now been called back. Even in South Africa, I had argued that choosing Ajinkya Rahane over KL Rahul would have been sage. You have won a Test series in Australia thanks to Rahane, “added Jaffer.
The last Test match of the India vs England five-match series that started last year is now to be played from today. Team India is currently leading the series 2-1 with two wins in the first four Tests.
In the first four matches of the Ind vs Eng Test series, Virat Kohli took charge of Team India. Back then, Ravi Shastri was India's head coach. Rohit Sharma, the new Indian skipper, is unable to play this match due to being Covid positive.