Is Jasprit Bumrah open to lead in ODIs?
What's the story
Jasprit Bumrah, the stand-in Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, has clarified his stance on leading the Indian cricket team in One Day Internationals (ODIs). After a thrilling six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in IPL 2026, Bumrah was asked about his thoughts on captaining India in ODIs. The pacer dismissed any such possibility with a humorous remark, saying "I don't see that happening."
Match analysis
Bumrah's captaincy debut in IPL
Bumrah's captaincy debut was marked by his strategic bowling changes and Shardul Thakur's impressive four-wicket haul. Despite Punjab Kings scoring a competitive 200 for 8, MI chased down the target with Tilak Varma playing a key role in the innings. Bumrah praised his team's performance, saying they "really pulled back well" and credited all bowlers for holding their nerve under pressure.
Captaincy journey
Bumrah praises Tilak and Shardul
Bumrah also spoke about his captaincy experience in Tests and T20Is. "I have captained in (3) Tests, I have captained in (2) T20Is, and now the only game left is ODI cricket, but I don't see that happening," he said. He said he had a great time during the match and enjoyed the conditions on offer. The pacer highlighted Tilak's innings and Shardul's bowling as key factors in MI's victory, saying they both deserve equal credit for their contributions to the win against Punjab Kings.
Reasoning
Here's why Bumrah led MI against PBKS
Bumrah got to lead MI against PBKS owing to the absence of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, the captain and stand-in captain of the team. Rohit Sharma, a five-time IPL-winning captain, could also have been an option for MI. However, he featured in the game as an 'Impact Player.' Notably, Bumrah has been playing for MI since 2013 and has not represented any other side in the IPL.