It looks like a lot of players in the Indian team are hoping to be the next Test captain. During the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, things weren’t going too smoothly for India, and there were even rumours about tension in the dressing room. One interesting story that came out was about a player who called himself “Mr Fixit.” He believed he could step in and take charge if needed. In fact, when Rohit Sharma was thinking about stepping down before the fifth Test in Sydney, this player saw himself as the one to lead the team.
Something interesting has come up again. According to a report by the Times of India, a senior Indian cricketer recently showed interest in becoming the captain again. The keyword here is “return,” because few players in the current Test squad have had a second chance to lead the team. However, the BCCI turned down his request. They’re looking for a long-term captain, not a temporary option, especially with a big series against England.
“It is reliably understood that another senior player, who sensed a leadership vacuum, expressed desire to have the captaincy armband again. That, however, was not entertained by the Indian cricket board, as they are clear on grooming a player for the future,” read TOI’s report.
Who Could Be India’s Next Test Captain?
If we look at the Indian squad that toured Australia, four players had captained India in T20Is before, with Rohit Sharma being one of them. That means the other three are Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and KL Rahul. While it hasn’t been revealed who among them was interested in becoming captain again, we can try to figure it out by looking at some possible reasons and clues.
“A new WTC cycle is starting. The future and continuity has to be kept in mind as far as the team is concerned. Even coach Gautam Gambhir would want a set of players he is likely to work with for an extended period. There can’t be any stop-gap solutions for such an important series. The last two Test series haven’t been ideal for the team and the England series is very crucial,” the publication quoted a source as claiming.
There’s been a lot of talk, but it doesn’t add up to say that Virat Kohli wants to be captain for the England tour. He reportedly turned down Gautam Gambhir’s request to lead India in the 5th Border-Gavaskar Test when Rohit Sharma stepped aside due to poor form. That puts the spotlight on KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. Both have shown they’re capable leaders. Bumrah has led the team before whenever Rohit wasn’t around, and Rahul is seen as a strong candidate to become vice-captain, especially now that Shubman Gill’s chances have dipped.
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