India’s pace leader Jasprit Bumrah may not continue as vice-captain when the team travels to England in June for a five-match Test series. This series will kick off the new cycle of the 2025–27 World Test Championship.

Bumrah Previously Served as Deputy

During India's last Test tour against Australia, selectors made Bumrah vice-captain to Rohit Sharma. He even led the team in the opening match in Perth, which turned out to be India’s only win in the series. Later, he also captained the team in the final Test in Sydney after Rohit removed himself from the playing XI.

Selection Committee Rethinks Leadership Role

According to a report in The Indian Express, selectors do not expect Bumrah to play all five Tests in England due to workload concerns. Therefore, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel plans to name a vice-captain who will be available for the entire series.

A source from the BCCI told the newspaper, "We want a player who will be available for all five Test matches and he should be given the vice-captain's role. Bumrah won't be playing all five matches, so we don't want to appoint different deputies for different games. It will be better that the captain and vice-captain should be certain and play all five Tests."

Young Players Being Considered as Future Leaders

The selectors are also thinking long-term. They are looking for a young player who could eventually take over as Test captain. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are top candidates for the job.

Gill, 25, has recently taken on the same role in the ODI format during India's Champions Trophy win. Pant also has leadership experience. He captained India in a T20I series against South Africa back in 2022.

Injury Concerns Still Shadow Bumrah

The report pointed out that the BCCI remains cautious about Bumrah’s history with injuries. He recently came back from a back issue that kept him out from mid-January to April. He missed both the Champions Trophy and the first half of IPL 2025 because of his recovery process.

In 2022, Bumrah suffered a similar back injury that sidelined him for nearly 11 months. He even missed the T20 World Cup in Australia that year.

England Series Begins June 20

India’s five-match Test series against England will begin on June 20. Whether Bumrah plays a full role or not, the team management wants consistent leadership throughout the tour.