With regular India Test captain Rohit uncertain about his availability for the first Test in Perth, Bumrah has emerged as a leading candidate to take on the role, potentially stepping into a captaincy position he has experienced once before, against England in Birmingham in 2022. Ponting, an ICC Hall of Famer, highlighted Bumrah's experience and cricketing acumen as assets that could serve him well if he is called upon to lead India. Drawing a parallel with Pat Cummins, Australia's current Test captain, Ponting noted the unique challenges fast bowlers face as captains, including striking a balance in managing their workload. "Yeah, that (captaincy) is probably the hardest thing for him," Ponting remarked on the ICC Review. "I think that was always the question on Pat Cummins when he became the Australian Test captain as well. How much is he going to bowl himself? Is he going to bowl himself too much? Is he not going to bowl himself enough? But someone as experienced as Jasprit will understand the times when he needs to be bowling, when he needs to have a spell." Adding to Bumrah's advantage is the depth of experience within India's Test squad. Veterans such as Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant bring invaluable insights, having been part of India's previous Test series victories on Australian soil in 2018/19 and 2020/21. Ponting believes Bumrah can lean on these seasoned players for advice and guidance. "In that Indian team, there's a lot of experience around him," Ponting observed. "And it's really important, I think, that you use the experience around you even when you are the captain, and just ask the appropriate questions at the right time because no matter how much cricket we've played, we're not always going to be right." Ponting shared how having trusted teammates like Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, and Justin Langer was invaluable during his tenure as Australian captain, noting, "I liked to ask the questions of Gilchrist, Hayden, and Langer. Ask them where they thought the game was, and what we needed to do. At the end of the day, as a captain, you're the one that's making that final decision, but whatever advice you can get along the way can only be good." With India eyeing a spot in next year's Test Championship final, Ponting believes the extra responsibility would only fuel Bumrah's performance as the leader of India's bowling attack. "Guys like that tend to thrive on the extra pressure and the responsibility," said Ponting. "He's always been the leader of the attack for a long time anyway. Whether that's red ball, T20, or ODIs, he's the main man."