Following the retirement of Rohit Sharma from Test cricket, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) are on the move to find the next Test captain. Let’s see who the possible candidates could be.
Jasprit Bumrah
Embed from Getty ImagesIndia’s ace speedster served as the vice-captain under Sharma. He has led India in three Tests(one in England and two in Australia). Should he take on the role full-time, he will be the second fast bowler after Kapil Dev (1983-1987) to captain India.
The only issue is his fitness. Being a fast bowler and a captain takes a lot out of you physically and mentally.
Usually, once a fast bowler finishes his over, he returns to his fielding position to take a breather. But as a captain, your responsibilities are far greater, as you continuously choose who to bowl, set your fields, etc.
It is arguably the most demanding job in cricket, and given that this is a five-match Series, it may take a lot out of him physically, as it did in Australia.
However, don’t be surprised if you see him lead the team at Headingley on 20th June.
Shubman Gill
Embed from Getty ImagesPerhaps it may be a good idea to look at the future of somebody like the tall right-hander from Punjab. Gill, who captains the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, has played 32 Tests, scoring 1,893 runs at an average of 35.05.
Given that his record in England is pretty mediocre, with an average of 14.66, it might be slightly risky to hand him the responsibility at this stage of his career, especially at 25.
Although he has never led India in Tests or ODI’s, he did lead a young Indian team in a five-match T20 Series in June 2024.
Embed from Getty ImagesSome experts, such as former opening batsman Kris Srikanth, believe that it is far too early for him to step into the shoes of Test captain.
“He (Gill) is a good player, very good player, accepted. He’s a very good player but not a deadly cricketer to captain India permanently. I mean, he’s not scored runs in South Africa, he’s not scored runs in England, he’s not scored runs in New Zealand, he’s not scored runs in Australia,”
Srikanth: Cricxtasy
This is a fair enough point, as, other than Dev, Stephen Fleming, and Graham Smith, not many players who have captained under the age of 25 have found the balance between their form and leading the side.
Can Gill prove the doubters wrong if he is the chosen one?
Rishabh Pant
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother candidate the BCCI has in mind is the flamboyant Wicketkeeper-Batsman. Although 27 is still quite young, There is no reason why Pant can’t take over the reigns.
If he gets the role, he will follow in the footsteps of India legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who also guided India to the top of the Test rankings in 2009.
Embed from Getty ImagesOne advantage of being a wicketkeeper captain is that when you stand behind the stumps, you can get a clear picture of where the fielders are.
However, Lucknow Super Giants, who Pant captains in the IPL, are seventh in the table, with just five wins from eleven games.
What may be a good idea is for the BCCI to have a Captaincy group, where there is one designated Captain, but others can chip in to put forward their ideas.
Coming back to Pant, you feel it’s a little too early for him to lead the Test side.
However, I wouldn’t rule him out of the white-ball captaincy in the near future, particularly when Sharma decides to retire from ODIs.
KL Rahul
Embed from Getty ImagesIf they are looking for more experience, perhaps the 32-year-old may be the answer. Rahul, like Bumrah, has captained India in three Tests, with the last of those coming against South Africa in Johannesburg 2022.
He has won two out of three Tests that he has captained for India, so again he would not be a bad option.
Since making his debut in Australia in 2014, Rahul has become one of the pillars of India’s batting, scoring 3,257 runs in 58 Tests, averaging 33.57.
With Sharma and Kohli no longer in the side, he is the most experienced batter.
That’s why it’s surprising that he isn’t an obvious candidate to take over the side.
According to The Sporting News, Rahul has a 40% chance of leading India in Tests.
Will the BCCI give him the green light, though?
So these are the four leading candidates for India’s next Test captain.
Who should be leading the side out in England next month?
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