NEWS
Follow UsIndia tasted a lot of success under Virat Kohli across formats — be it Tests or the white-ball formats. Under him, India became a force to be reckoned with, especially in Tests, which enabled them to win many matches both in India and overseas. The baton has since passed on to Rohit Sharma, who recently led India to the T20 World Cup triumph. While Rohit is officially the captain, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah believes Kohli continues to lead the team in certain ways.
"Virat is energy-driven, passionate, wears his heart on his sleeve," Bumrah told The Indian Express.
"He pushed us in terms of fitness and changed the narrative that way. Now, Virat is not the captain, but he is still a leader. Captaincy is a post, but a team is run by 11 people."
Bumrah has played plenty of games under Rohit — at Mumbai Indians - and at the international level, and MS Dhoni, under whom he debuted.
Speaking of the difference in leadership styles between the two, Bumrah said, "Rohit is one of the few captains who has empathy towards bowlers, despite being a batsman. He understands players’ emotions and knows what a player is going through. Rohit is not rigid. He is open to feedback."
Bumrah played eight One-Day Internationals (ODI) and 21 T20 Internationals (T20I) under Dhoni, who is considered one of India's finest captains. Under him, India won all the ICC trophies and also reached No.1 in Tests.
Bumrah said Dhoni initially helped him find his feet in international cricket.
"MS gave me a lot of security quickly. He has a lot of faith in his instinct and doesn’t believe in a lot of planning," Bumrah, who picked up 15 wickets at the T20 World Cup 2024, said.
Bumrah has not played for India since the T20 World Cup. He will likely return to action for Bangladesh's incoming tour in September.
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