Candidates for the post of India’s next Test captain: What works and what doesn’t | Cricket News – Times of India
The logical next choice perhaps is Rohit Sharma, since he was promoted to Test vice-captaincy recently, ahead of the Test series vs South Africa, though he missed out on the tour due to an injury. So, should the selectors and team management go with Rohit or should they look at a long term bet and appoint a youngster?
Here we look at what is working for and against the main contenders for India’s next Test captain:
Rohit Sharma
(Twitter Photo)
What works: The logical next Test skipper. He was made Test vice-captain, replacing Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the Test series in South Africa. Since coming back to the Test team in early 2021, for the last two Tests of the series in Australia, Rohit has been a standout performer. He has already been handed the captaincy for the white ball teams and making him captain would return Indian cricket to a state of one on-field leader across all three formats. This could make vital team selection, overall decision making etc easier. Rohit is also universally acknowledged to be a good man manager and is respected by his fellow cricketers. Multiple reports over the years have talked about how Rohit is always patient with players and gives them the support or advice they need. He is also a key player in the side and a first pick choice in all formats, when he is fit. As a batsman, Rohit is a tried and tested champion and can lead the team from the front. He might not wear his heart on his sleeve, but his captaincy for the Mumbai Indians over the years has shown that he is passionate enough to be an effective leader. His second wind as a Test cricketer and being promoted to the opening slot have worked for Rohit the Test cricketer. Going ahead India will be playing vital series in all formats and Rohit will be a key man, very much in the thick of things. The second edition of the World Test Championship is on, the next T20I World Cup will be played later this year and 2023 will see the next edition of the ICC ODI World Cup being played. Through these busy times, having one captain across all formats at the helm of things might help in settling things, as the team goes through a leadership transition.
What does not work: Fitness. That is the key thing for the selectors and team management to look at if they want to appoint Rohit as the next Test captain. He has been plagued with injuries throughout his career. He wasn’t a part of the recently concluded Test series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury. The same has kept him out of the ODI series against the Proteas which begins on Wednesday. Can he handle the rigours of playing all three formats constantly? If he is just a player in the team or the vice-captain, he can be replaced with someone when he is injured, but as captain, he will be expected to play most matches, if not all. If the selectors are looking at a long term option, then Rohit, at 34 might not be it.
R Ashwin
(PTI Photo)
What works for him: A thinking cricketer. A passionate player and a champion bowler. There has always been some amount of hesitation in making a bowler a captain – across teams. Bowlers need breaks, they might not always be close to the action while fielding. They can be accused of either over bowling or under bowling themselves, like Jason Gillespie said recently on TOI Sportscast while talking about Pat Cummins, who became Australia’s first fast bowling captain since Ray Lindwall in 1956, who himself was a stop gap arrangement for one Test. But India have a fine example in Anil Kumble – another champion spinner who led India admirably, before MS Dhoni took over as skipper in all formats. Extremely experienced and outspoken, Ashwin could be a fearless choice if that is what the selectors are looking for. If the opposition has to be put under pressure via clever field placements or out of the box bowling changes, Ashwin can deliver. His own Test credentials, as bowler and effective lower order batsman speak for themselves.
What does not work: Overseas fixtures. These are when Aswhin tends to lose his place in the side, especially in pace friendly conditions. Ravindra Jadeja is usually the preferred choice. In the three Test series vs South Africa recently, Ashwin was hardly required to bowl and took 3 wickets. However, India dont play Tests outside the subcontinent till 2024. If a stop-gap arrangement is what the powers that be are looking at then Ashwin can be an option. At 35, he will also not be a long term bet.
Rishabh Pant
(Getty Images)
What works for him: A long term bet. At 24 years old, Pant is a regular in the playing XI in all three formats. So, if the selectors are looking for a long term Test captain, he could be it. Also, as a wicket-keeper Pant has an almost 360 degree view of the game. He has also shown that criticism doesn’t get to him easily. His technique and panache of playing rash shots hasn’t won him too many admirers, but he has also creditably not tried to change his game too much. In the third Test vs South Africa, his fighting century was the biggest positive for Team India and efforts like that really lift team morale. Since he is very young, he will also be open to fresh ideas from seniors and not be too set in his own ways.
What does not work: Many feel that Pant still needs time to settle down as a keeper-batsman first, before being handed the huge responsibility of being India Test captain. Former India cricketer and former Chairman of selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar told Times of India how in 2007 for the Test series vs Pakistan, the selectors chose to hand the Test captaincy to Anil Kumble, even though a young MS Dhoni had already been given limited overs captaincy. The selectors wanted Dhoni to learn from Kumble. Overall inexperience could work against Pant being handed the Test baton. There is also the matter of how captaincy could potentially affect his batting. Pant can be a match winner on his day, but will he be able to juggle the triple responsibility of being keeper, key batsman and captain?
KL Rahul
(AFP Photo)
What works: Rahul in many ways is ahead of Pant perhaps on this pecking order. He has already captained the Indian Test team (in the second Test vs South Africa) and has been limited overs vice-captain in the past. In the upcoming ODI series vs South Africa, Rahul will be leading the team, which also has Virat Kohli, in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who is injured. Over the years, Rahul has evolved as a batsman and has tailored his game to suit all formats and that garners respect. Though not a first choice pick as a Test opener, Rahul has shown that given the job, he can deliver results. His 123 in the Centurion Test vs the Proteas showed just that and helped him walk away with the Man of the Match award. He is 29, so can be a long term bet as well. Another thing that works for Rahul is the fact that personality wise he is extremely calm and collected. He doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him and that is a trait which many would feel is something a captain should have, especially considering the many debates that Virat Kohli found himself embroiled in when he was captain, due to his overtly aggressive on-field persona.
What does not work: Does he have what it takes to be a successful Test captain already or does he need to be groomed more? Is it too early to hand over the reins of the Test team to him? Rahul as Punjab Kings captain in the IPL has shown that the added responsibility does not affect his batting, but then Test cricket is a completely different kettle of fish. There is also a school of thought that Rahul hasnt cemented his place in the India Test playing XI yet. Remember he was the third choice Test opener after Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal. He did make the most of some of the opportunities that came his way, but what happens if he flops with the bat in a few series? If his spot in the team is not guaranteed, can he then be made captain?
Jasprit Bumrah
(ANI Photo)
What works for him: Calm and collected and yet aggressive enough to attack the opposition. Bumrah is 28 and has cemented his place in the side, across formats. In fact he is seen as India’s most potent fast bowling option currently and the spearhead. That commands respect. He has also made it clear that he is more than willing to take on the responsibility if and when it is given to him, saying if given the opportunity it will be an honour to captain India – effectively throwing his hat in the ring. Bumrah can be regularly seen in team huddles while field placements and bowling changes are being discussed on the field. He is someone whose opinion clearly matters. He seems to share a good rapport with his fellow fast bowlers, even those who are senior to him and with others in the team. A bowler is someone the team regularly gets behind to strike on the field. When one, who is also a good man manager, is made the skipper, like Cummins recently was for the Aussies, it can reap rich dividends. Bumrah also seems to have a very mature head on his shoulders and if a fast bowling long term captain is something the selectors are good with, Bumrah could be the man for the job.
What does not work: What happens when he is injured? A fast bowler is always prone to injuries. Recently, in the first Test vs South Africa in Centurion, Bumrah twisted his ankle while bowling on Day 3 and gave the team a huge scare. Bumrah also plays all three formats, so he can’t be reserved only for Test cricket. Workload management, especially for the fast bowlers is a very big priority for the team and if Bumrah is given the Test captaincy that could become tricky.
TimesofIndia.com ran a poll asking readers and fans to vote for the player they feel should replace Virat Kohli as the next India Test captain. There were 6 options given – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and someone else.
These are the results:
Rohit Sharma received the maximum number of votes. Interestingly, Rishabh Pant got the second most number of votes, behind Rohit.
Full results of the poll:
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