Wasim Jaffer says Cheteshwar Pujara should be the captain instead of Jasprit Bumrah

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has said that "it would have more sense" to make the veteran middle-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara the captain of India for the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham instead of Jasprit Bumrah. 

However, India named Bumrah their captain after the regular skipper Rohit Sharma was ruled out with COVID-19 for the second time on Thursday morning.

However, Jaffer also said that Pujara's experience as a cricketer and captain made him a much better option than someone like the speedster Bumrah who hasn't captained any side in any form of the game, so far as well.

"I have seen Pujara lead in first-class cricket. He is a decent enough leader. He has played 90 (95) odd Tests, so I feel it would have made more sense to go with him," Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo.

However, the Edgbaston Test will be the fifth Test match of their last year's series. The game was initially scheduled to take place in Manchester but was postponed due to Covid-19 cases in the Indian camp last year. 

Considering the importance of the match where India is leading 2-1, a win or a draw would give them a Test series win in England after 15 years as well, and it would have been helpful for the team to go with an experienced campaigner like Pujara as the captain instead of Bumrah, a comparatively new one.

"Bumrah was vice-captain previously, so obvious for him to become captain but knowing the importance of the match, knowing that the series is on the line, I would have been tempted to look at Cheteshwar Pujara. Bumrah hasn't been a captain at all. For him to lead in such a Test without experience, you never know. Bumrah looks intelligent and has great game sense, so he might surprise us as Hardik Pandya did," Jaffer added.

However, Jasprit Bumrah will become the first pace bowler after the legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev to lead the team in a Test match. Jaffer has also said that Pujara being dropped for the series against Sri Lanka might have played a part in him not being chosen for the captaincy role.

"That (Pujara's place in the XI) might have played a part. He was dropped previously and now has been called back, so giving him the captaincy for this one Test might have been a questionable thing. Even in South Africa, I had said that it would've been wise to go to Ajinkya Rahane instead of KL Rahul. Rahane has won you a Test series in Australia," the veteran expressed.

Notably, Cheteshwar Pujara made a remarkable comeback to the Indian side after scoring many runs in the County Championship while playing for Sussex. However, when he asked whether it would have been wise to ask the former India captain Virat Kohli about leading the Test for the decider, Jaffer said that Kohli perhaps would not have considered the role.

"Yes, I'm sure Virat would have been the first man to be asked, but I doubt whether he would have accepted," Wasim Jaffer concluded.