Pujara last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship final, scoring 14 and 27 as Australia took the match and the trophy by 209 runs. He has since set the domestic and County stage on fire with his typical marathon innings, but at 36, a call back to the national team looks improbable. Still, Pujara has made the trip to Australia, not as a player but as a broadcaster, and is slowly trying to transition into the commentary role. Former India coach Ravi Shastri said he would miss Pujara and that he is irreplaceable, but Kapil entertains no such thoughts. Asked whether India will miss someone as dogged as Pujara, the former India all-rounder feels there’s no point talking about someone who isn’t even in the squad.

“Whatever the best team you have, you are making them play, and that’s it. One can then ask whether India needs players like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. Why not Don Bradman for Australia? Why talk about the people who are not in the team?” he told Mid-day in an interview.

In June of 2022, when Bumrah captained India for the first time in Tests – he became only the second pacer to do so after Kapil. Being India’s pace spearhead, how captaincy shapes him and his performance will be interesting. Shastri had no doubts that the pressure would be on Bumrah, not only to captain but also to live up to the reputation of being arguably the best bowler in the world, more so in the absence of Mohammed Shami. Kapil, on the contrary, insists on letting Bumrah be.

Bumrah should be as normal as possible, says Kapil Dev

“He should stay as normal as possible and not look to do something extra. He should go with the flow, and over some time, he will learn. It’s unfair to say, ‘What more can he do?’ I don’t expect anything beyond what he encounters. Let the contest begin, and he will find his way. We must not burden him with expectations,” he added.

Despite the absence of Shami and Rohit Sharma, and the concerning form of Virat Kohli, Kapil reckons India have some strong points heading into the first Test. However, more than individual performances, key players or game-changers, it’s India’s attitude and winning mentality that impresses Kapil more than anything else.

“If I look at India’s strong point over the years, it would be the increase in their self-belief. Sometimes, you look over-confident, but the belief in the Indian team has improved. It is a critical component for any team looking to excel on the big stage,” said Kapil.