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Cricket Players'It was an emotional decision. You can't announce it subject to fitness': Yuvraj on Rohit Sharma as India's Test captain
India started off well under Rohit in March when they whitewashed Sri Lanka at home. However, former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh wasn't impressed with the choice of announcement.
The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had a couple of options at disposal, but Rohit Sharma, who was earlier in December last year announced as the new vice captain in the format, remained the front-runner to replace Virat Kohli as India's new Test captain. And the team started off well under Rohit in March when they whitewashed Sri Lanka at home. However, former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh wasn't impressed with the choice of announcement.
Besides Rohit, BCCI had Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin to choose from. But with the experience that Rohit brought in compared to the other candidates, who have hardly ever led a red-ball team, the veteran opener was unanimously chosen by the selectors.
However, during his conversation interaction on Home of Heroes on Sports 18, Yuvraj opined that while Rohit is an excellent leader, the decision to name him the Test captain was an emotional one. He feels that with Rohit getting injured a lot, it will add pressure on him as a Test captaincy to keep up with the fitness besides leading the side.
“Excellent leader. I played under him when I was playing for Mumbai Indians. Very good thinker, very good captain. Rohit should have been the captain at least in the white-ball cricket a while ago. But since Virat was doing so well and the team was also doing well it wasn’t easy,” Yuvraj said.
“I felt it was an emotional decision to make him a captain in Test cricket. When they made him captain it was announced subject to fitness. You cannot announce your Test captain subject to fitness. He is getting injured a lot. He is at that age where he must look after his body,” asserted Yuvraj.
“It will add pressure to him on Test captaincy as well. It’s been only a couple of years since he started opening the innings in Test cricket. He has been playing well. Let the guy focus on his batting in Test cricket. I hope he enjoys, it’s not easy standing for 5 days in the park,” he added.
Rohit next assignment in the format will be the one Test in England later this summer which was previously part of the five-match series in 2021 and was postponed owing to a Covid outbreak in the Indian camp. India presently lead 2-1.
