India vs. New Zealand: Rohit Sharma Discusses Jasprit Bumrah's Vice-Captaincy

India captain Rohit Sharma defended Jasprit Bumrah's promotion to vice-captain for the three-Test series against New Zealand on Tuesday, describing the lead pacer as a vital component of the leadership group with a strong "understanding" of the game.

Bumrah's appointment as vice-captain for the Test series, which begins on Wednesday, came as a surprise given that India did not have a deputy to Rohit in the recent series against Bangladesh.

"Bumrah has played a lot of cricket. I have played a lot of cricket with him. He understands the game rather well. He has a sound mind. When you talk to him, he understands the game," Rohit said media at his pre-match press conference after rain disrupted India's training session.

"Tactically, I can’t say much because he hasn't commanded much. He was captain in one Test and a handful of T20s, I believe," he said.

Bumrah captained India in the rescheduled Test against England in 2022, as well as the T20I series against Ireland the previous year.

"He understands what's required. When a crisis requires a leader to step up, I believe Bumrah will be one of them. So, in the past, he's always been in our leadership group," Rohit explained.

The 37-year-old stated that his elite pacer has easily transitioned to the role of mentor to the team's younger pacers.

"Whether it's speaking with the new bowlers on the squad or meeting internally with the team to discuss how to move ahead as a team, he's always been a part of the leadership group. So, it's probably the right thing to just have him around and speak to the bowlers and internally discuss how to take the team forward," Rohit stated.