Bumrah applauds Rohit’s empathy, Kohli’s passion after T20 World Cup success

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah praised the leadership skills of veteran cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after India ended their 11-year ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies.

Bumrah played a crucial role in India's success, taking 15 wickets and being named the Player of the Tournament. His performances, especially in the final, were instrumental in leading Sharma’s team to victory.

When asked about his favorite Indian captain, Bumrah humorously chose himself. 

"My favorite captain is me because I have captained a few games. Obviously, there are great captains, but I will take my name. I am my favorite captain," Bumrah said.

On a more serious note, Bumrah praised Rohit Sharma for his leadership, particularly during the recent Test series against England, where India fielded several young players. 

"In the recent England series, when the youngsters came, Rohit made the atmosphere very comfortable. He took extra effort; he will take them out; he will talk to them about the game; he will try and push them to take the responsibility, as the youngsters should think all are equally important; there is no senior or junior," he further added.

Bumrah also highlighted Rohit's empathy towards bowlers, saying, "A captain needs to have empathy towards bowlers and Rohit Sharma is one of the few captains who has empathy for bowlers. Playing in the IPL as well, I even used to go and tell Rohit that 'You set the field, I am going to bowl this ball. You set the field, and I trust you whatever you feel is right. You set the field'," Bumrah said.

The pacer also hailed Virat Kohli, who retired after the T20 World Cup win, for his energy and passion. 

"Virat is energy-driven. He is quite passionate, wears his heart on his sleeves. He pushed us in terms of fitness. He changed the narrative that way. Even though Virat is not the captain, he is still the leader," he concluded.