Bumrah, Cummins create history with captaincy in Perth Test
Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins have written their names in the cricket history books by becoming the first pair of fast bowlers to captain their respective teams in an India-Australia Test. The historic moment took place during the Perth Test at Optus Stadium. While Cummins has been leading Australia since late 2021, Bumrah took over India's captaincy for this match in Rohit Sharma's absence on paternity leave.
A look at the historic event
The historic moment was witnessed as Bumrah and Cummins, both fast bowlers, walked out with their teams for the toss. This is a first in India-Australia cricket history since their first Test series in 1947/48. The last Indian fast bowler to lead a team in a Test series Down Under was Kapil Dev in the 1985-86 tour. For Australia, no fast bowler had captained against India at home before Cummins.
Bumrah's journey as a captain
The Perth Test will be Bumrah's fourth stint as India's captain and second in Test cricket. His first Test captaincy came in 2022 when Rohit Sharma was ruled out due to COVID-19. Although India lost, Bumrah made headlines by scoring a world-record 35 runs in six balls. He joins an elite list of bowlers who have captained the Indian team in red-ball cricket: Ghulam Ahmed, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Anil Kumble.
Cummins's stellar record as Test captain
Meanwhile, Cummins, who is playing his 29th Test as the skipper, has aced the captaincy role. He has powered the Aussies to 17 wins. His tally also includes six defeats and five draws. Last year, the fast bowler helped Australia clinch the ICC World Test Championship title.
