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Cricket Players'He is a mix of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli': Swann names India player who is 'captain in waiting for next 10 years'
If India are to look at the future, Swann reckons the candidate to captain the team should be someone relatively younger, who has captained before. And that to him is Rishabh Pant, whom Swann termed as ‘captain waiting to lead for 10 years.’
Rohit Sharma may have been appointed as the new T20I captain of the Indian team, but at 34, even the most successful IPL captain of all time, may not be a long-term solution for the Men in Blue. With Kohli expected to continue as captain in ODIs and Tests and Rohit taking over the reins in T20Is, India appear sorted till at least the 2023 World Cup, but what next? Kohli and Rohit would be 35 and 36 respectively by then and India would need to look for a new leader to take the team forward.
Graeme Swann feels that even though Rohit has everything that it takes to be a good captain, he cannot be in charge for long, which is why the former England spinner feels it is about time that India nurture a youngster, who could be Rohit's successor in the time to come. If India are to look at the future, Swann reckons the candidate to captain the team should be someone relatively younger, who has captained before.
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"Might be, but not for me (On Rohit being the next captain). You have to look to the future. I think India have a captain in waiting for the next 10 years. You know who I'm talking about, it's Rishabh Pant," Swann said on Cricket.com.
"He did a great job in Delhi, he is very level-headed and he seems like a sort of a mix of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. He's very level-headed like MS Dhoni, but he's got a bit of spirit about him, like Virat. Like how he laughs and giggles and is chirpy behind the stumps."
Pant led Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2021 Playoffs, while contributing with the bat. Pant is one of the few Indian cricketers who are an automatic pick in all three formats, and given the road ahead, the depth that Indian cricket has, Swann believes Pant is the ideal candidate to captain India in the future.
"The only reason I'd say not Rohit Sharma is the age difference. With Rishabh Pant, you've got someone there for the next 10 years, whereas Rohit has been around a lot already. Rohit is a brilliant skipper, we know that, and he's done the job for Mumbai, so if he should take over, you've got a ready-made skipper. But if I were India, I'd think long-term and go for Rishabh Pant," added the former off-spinner.
