R Ashwin breaks silence on India’s Test captaincy, cites Graeme Smith's example

Retired Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has named Jasprit Bumrah as his preferred choice to lead India in Test cricket, while acknowledging that Shubman Gill is emerging as the most popular candidate. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin also highlighted the leadership vacuum in the Indian side and called for a more structured and transparent captaincy selection process. Ashwin expressed concern about how public opinion forms in cricket, stating that repeated narratives often turn perception into reality.

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“If one person says something, it’s an opinion. If five say it, it becomes a strong opinion. But if fifty say the same thing, people start believing it’s the truth. That’s my issue,” he said.

He backed Bumrah, calling him a “national treasure,” but admitted that the fast bowler’s injury history and the demands of a full Test series make his long-term availability uncertain. “Bumrah has had one major surgery. I’ll be very surprised if he plays all five Tests in a series. He needs to be given breaks to recover,” Ashwin said. “Still, I’ll be very disappointed if he never gets to captain.” Ashwin also proposed the name of Ravindra Jadeja as a short-term option, suggesting he could lead for a couple of years while grooming a younger successor like Gill. “Let’s not forget, Jadeja is the most experienced player in the team. He should be in the conversation,” he said.Quiz: Who's that IPL player? He praised Australia’s approach of evaluating leadership candidates by asking them to present their captaincy vision, suggesting India should adopt a similar model. “Captain, coach, and selector can make or break careers. It’s happened before and will happen again. That’s why I believe there should be an interview process.”

Ashwin argued that players like Rishabh Pant, Gill, Bumrah and Jadeja should not be judged on leadership potential without understanding their vision. “Leadership is about character. No captain, coach or selector truly knows a player’s character unless they’ve spoken to him,” he said. On Shubman Gill, Ashwin acknowledged that he appears to be the leading contender in the eyes of the public, and drew a parallel with Graeme Smith, who captained South Africa at a young age.

“I hope Gujarat Titans qualify for the

IPL playoffs

. If Gill gains honour there, it might make his transition to leadership easier. But captaincy, especially in Tests, is not about one good season. A leader should know what’s happening in first-class cricket too,” he said. Ashwin concluded by reiterating his admiration for Gill but emphasised the value of experience and structure in leadership decisions.