'If his name is...': Ravi Shastri's brave pick to replace Rohit Sharma as India captain in T20Is
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri wants the Team India star to replace Rohit Sharma as captain of the Asian giants in the shortest format. Rohit's Team India failed to end their ICC trophy drought as the 2007 champions were outclassed by eventual winners England in the semi-finals.
Continuing the leadership shuffle in the shortest format of the game after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2022, Rohit Sharma-less Team India will be led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the upcoming three-match series against hosts New Zealand. Pandya, who is one of the latest entrants in India's leadership group, had guided Gujarat Titans (GT) to Indian Premier League (IPL) glory in their first-ever season.
In the absence of all-format captain Rohit, the white-ball maverick was also appointed as India's stand-in skipper for the Ireland T20Is earlier this year. With Pandya emerging as a strong contender to become full-time captain of the Men In Blue, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri feels there is 'no harm' in appointing a new leader of the Asian giants after the T20 World Cup. Rohit-led Team India failed to end their ICC trophy drought as the 2007 champions were outclassed by eventual winners England in the semi-finals.
"For T20 cricket, there is no harm in having a new captain," Shastri said during an interaction organised by Prime Video in the lead-up to the 1st T20I between India and New Zealand. "Because the volume of cricket is such, that for one player to play all three formats of the game is never going to be easy. If Rohit is already leading in Tests and ODIs, there is no harm in identifying a new T20I captain and if his name is Hardik Pandya, so be it," the former Indian head coach added.
India will miss the services of skipper Rohit, vice-captain KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and pace ace Jasprit Bumrah in the three-match series against the Black Caps. Stand-in head coach for the New Zealand series, batting maestro VVS Laxman recently hinted that India's lineup will be packed with T20 specialists after another heartbreak at the T20 World Cup.
"I think that is the way forward. I think VVS is right. They will identify specialists. Going forward, that should be the mantra. Identify and make that Indian side into a terrific fielding side and identify roles for these youngsters who can be fearless and play that kind of cricket without any kind of baggage," Shastri added.