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Cricket Players'Reads the game well..': Yuvraj Singh names his choice for Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain
Following Virat Kohli's decision to step down as captain, Yuvraj Singh named his choice for his successor.
Virat Kohli on Saturday announced his decision to step down as Test captain, sending shock waves throughout the Indian cricket fraternity. The 33-year-old made the announcement merely a day after he led the side in the three-Test series against South Africa. Kohli ended his captaincy stint as India's most successful skipper in the longest format of the game.
Following the announcement, speculation has been rife over Kohli's successor in the leadership role. Many have touted Rohit Sharma – who has already been named India's limited-overs captain – as India's next Test skipper.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar had named young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as his choice for the role, and India's World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh voiced his agreement.
“Absolutely! Reads the game well behind the stumps,” Yuvraj wrote on Twitter, replying to Gavaskar's opinion.
“If you ask me, I am still staying, I would look at Rishabh Pant as next India captain,” Gavaskar had said on Saturday.
“For one reason only, just like Rohit Sharma was given the captaincy of Mumbai Indians when Ricky Ponting stepped down, look at the change in his batting after that. Suddenly the responsibility of being captain made him convert those beautiful cameos of 30s, 40s and 50s into hundreds, 150s and 200s.”
"I think that sense of responsibility given to Rishabh Pant will help him score many more of that wonderful hundred he scored at Newlands," he added.
Ahead of the series against South Africa, Rohit Sharma was named the vice-captain of the Test side as he replaced Ajinkya Rahane in the role. With Rohit being ruled out of the tour, KL Rahul had captained the Indian team when Kohli missed the Johannesburg Test, with Jasprit Bumrah playing the role of his deputy. Rahul will also lead the Indian team in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa.
While Pant has never led the Indian team in any format, he is the current captain of Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals.
