Ricky Ponting supports Jasprit Bumrah exclusion, calls BCCI's decision ‘spot on': 'I think the timing is right...'
The BCCI selection committee's decision to name Shubman Gill as the captain ahead of the experienced Jasprit Bumrah, who even led India in two Tests during the recent Australia tour, did not sit well with many experts. However, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting jumped to the defence of the BCCI, saying that the decision was absolutely spot on and that the timing to bring in Gill couldn't have been better.
The Test captaincy was Bumrah's for the taking, having led India thrice before, including twice in Australia in the last season, where India won in Perth in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma. However, a back injury in the Sydney Test, which later saw him miss the Champions Trophy, left the selectors concerned and subsequently dented his chances of taking over the reins in Test cricket.
Speaking on the ICC Review, Ponting said BCCI was right in naming Gill as the captain because he felt India shouldn't have a captain who could be missing matches repeatedly due to injuries. He also urged the selectors to give Gill a lengthy rope as a captain.
"I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple," Ponting said.
"Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there. So I think it's the right decision. Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for a long period of time."
Having seen Gill from close quarters in IPL, where the youngster has been leading the Gujarat Titans squad since 2024, Ponting felt the timing to name him the Test captain couldn't have been better.
"Even just looking back at the way he's handled this current GT team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him," Ponting said.
"And the important thing for me with leadership as well is if you're a batter and you're a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL and I think the timing is right. I think you'll have a good captain who'll make a lot of Test runs going forward."
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