Batting great, Sunil Gavaskar suggested that wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant can be the ideal candidate to lead the Indian team in Test cricket going forward.
Sunil Gavaskar’s comments came following Virat Kohli’s decision to step down as the Indian Test skipper. The 33-year-old left his fans and experts shell shocked when he revealed his decision to step down as captain in the red-ball format in a social media post
Virat Kohli’s decision to step down as the Indian Test skipper has given rise to many questions including who will fill his shoes in the leadership role. While it is expected that Rohit Sharma being the vice-captain will take over the capacity reins, some reports suggested that BCCI might hand KL Rahul the responsibility of leading the side in Tests.
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Many fans and pundits have suggested different names for the vacant Test captain place in the Indian team. While some have backed KL Rahul to lead the side, few also batted for Rishabh Pant to be the skipper.
Speaking to India Today, former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar stressed that there will be a debate in the selection committee regarding who will take Indian cricket forward. He suggested that the selection committee should select someone who plays all three formats and backed Rishabh Pant to be the next Indian Test captain.
"It's going to be quite a debate as far as the selection committee is concerned as to who should be taking Indian cricket forward. First of all, it should be someone who is an automatic pick across all formats of the game. Once that happens, it will be a lot easier. If you ask me, I am still staying, I would look at Rishabh Pant as next India captain,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar while explaining his reason behind him choosing Rishabh Pant as the next Indian Test captain cited the example of how Rohit Sharma evolved as the skipper of Mumbai Indians after Ricky Ponting stepped down.
He highlighted how the responsibility of being captain made Sharma covert his 30s, 40s and 50s into big hundreds, 150s and 200s, adding that sense of responsibility will help Pant score more runs.
"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 said.
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Sunil Gavaskar also cited the example of Tiger Pataudi, who captained at the age of 21 under adverse circumstances and took the role like a duck to water. He added that Pant’s captaincy in IPL depicts he has the capability of taking Indian cricket forward and making it an exciting team to watch.
"Yes, I am saying that. Tiger Pataudi was captain at the age of 21 under adverse circumstances when Nari Contractor was injured. Look what he did after that. He took to captaincy like duck to water.
I think what we have seen with Rishabh Pant as the captain of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, I do believe he has the capability of taking Indian cricket forward and making it a very exciting team to watch," he said.
Notably, Rishabh Pant led Delhi Capitals to the playoffs in the IPL 2021 and will captain them in the upcoming IPL 2022 as well.
(India Today Inputs)
