Finch shuts Gavaskar's 'Bumrah should captain India' theory if Rohit misses 1st Test: 'Your wife's having a baby'
Aaron Finch isn't a fan of Sunil Gavaskar's suggestion that Jasprit Bumrah should captain India in the Perth Test if Rohit Sharma is unavailable.
Aaron Finch has reacted strongly to Sunil Gavaskar's suggestions that Jasprit Bumrah should be made captain of the Indian team for the entire Border-Gavaskar Trophy if Rohit Sharma cannot play the first Test, saying there is only one captain of the Indian team. The five-Test series starts November 22 in Perth, but Rohit may not be part of the series opener as his wife Ritika Sajdeh is due to give birth to the couple's second child. Addressing his availability for the first Test after India's 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand, Rohit kept 'fingers crossed'.
Gavaskar responded by suggesting that BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar should inform Rohit well ahead of time that India cannot afford to begin the series without their captain. He believes that if necessary, the leadership should be fully entrusted to Bumrah for all five Tests, as alternating the captaincy during a high-profile series is far from ideal. However, Finch, the former Australia captain, 'totally' disagrees with Gavaskar and feels Rohit is the one and only captain of the team.
Aaron Finch doesn't agree with Sunil Gavaskar
"I disagree with Sunny on that totally. Rohit Sharma is the captain of the Indian cricket team. If you need to stay at home because your wife's going to have a baby… that's such a beautiful moment… and you take all the time that you need in that regard," Finch said on Around the Wicket podcast.
Rohit finds himself in the same boat as Virat Kohli from the last tour. The former India captain flew back home after the first Test in Adelaide and missed the remainder of the series as he and Anushka Sharma became parents to daughter Vamika. Rohit's case is slightly different in the sense that he will be back for the remaining four Tests and take over the captaincy duties from whoever captains in Perth. Bumrah is the likely contender since he is the team's vice-captain.
