5 Players Who Can Replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni As India’s T20I Captain

Jan 9, 2019 at 4:12 PM

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5 Players Who Can Replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni As India’s T20I Captain

Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepping down as the captain has not just given an opportunity to Virat Kohli to lead India in ODI and T20I format. Though, Kohli hasn’t led India in T20Is but there are bright chances of him being given the responsibility of leading the team in this format as well.

Still, selectors might think of giving the T20I captaincy to someone else as leading the team across all formats will add much pressure Virat Kohli.

So, before selectors announce a new captain for the T20I format, here is our take and suggestions on possible candidates who can replace Dhoni as T20I captain – 

 

Virat Kohli – First and the obvious choice which comes to our mind is the Test skipper of Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli. Though he hasn’t led Indian team in any of the T20I games till now but he has shown his worth as a T20 skipper in IPL. He has been the driving force behind the success of Royal Challengers Bangalore in Indian Premier League. Under Kohli’s captaincy, RCB qualified for the finals of the T20 league but lost to David Warner-led Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Virat Kohli’s case as a skipper in the shortest format of the game will be backed by his form in 2016 season of IPL as the former U-19 World Cup winning captain smashed 973 runs in the tournament at a batting average of 81.08. Four decorated centuries in the league was something which no one would have imagined of.

And how can one forget his superb form in T20Is in the year 2016? Kohli amassed 641 runs in the year 2016 in T20Is at a batting average of 106.83. He is a sure shot replacement for M.S. Dhoni as a skipper in T20Is as well.

 

 

Rohit Sharma –  He will be the obvious second choice to captain India in the shortest format of the game. Though, not an issue but an increasing burden of leading the team in all formats of the game can add to the mental stress for Kohli, so Rohit Sharma might be looked as a prospect to lead India in T20Is.

Rohit’s first stint of leading the team at a big stage came in IPL 2013, when Ricky Ponting called it a day as the captain of Mumbai Indians and Rohit was given the charge to lead the team. His first taste of captaincy as Mumbai captain was a huge success as MI defeated Chennai Super Kings in the final to clinch their maiden title. He emulated his supremacy again two years later, against the same opposition.

Rohit Sharma’s great record in T20I cricket adds weight to his case and he can be the perfect replacement for Dhoni in T20 format.

 

Ashwin injures forearm during practice session in Bengaluru

Ravichandran Ashwin – T20 is a format where the management has to think out of the box. Ravichandran Ashwin can be a decent replacement for M.S. Dhoni in the shorter format of the game as with each passing day in international cricket, he is climbing the stair of success at quite a fast pace and with a bag of captaincy tied to his back, can be something which can bring about a change in him. This responsibility on his shoulders might also motivate him to improve his batting form in the shortest format of the game as well.

Why not? Ashwin still has a long career ahead of him and there is no harm in turning him into a genuine all-rounder across all formats and not just Test cricket. He looks a bright prospect as a T20I captain and selectors might have a discussion over is name when they meet to select the new leader.

 

Suresh Raina – This guy has played enough of T20Is and T20 matches under the best captain of the world, M.S. Dhoni. The apprentice to Dhoni, when had a task to face his teacher in IPL 2016 when he led Gujarat Lions, overpowered him and defeated M.S. Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiants. This could be the been the last thing which Dhoni could have hope as Raina had played under him non-stop eight years and never Dhoni would’ve thought that his deputy would go on to defeat him, not just once, twice.

Suresh Raina had a great outing as skipper of Gujarat Lions as his team ended as a table topper by virtue of winning nine out of 14 games they played but those two wins against Rising Pune Supergiants were the highlight of Gujarat Lions’ first stint in Indian Premier League.

The experience of Suresh Raina will also come into play at the selection meet.

 

KL Rahul – One may say that it is an arbitrary decision made by the writer but there is a reason behind it. KL Rahul is the best-attacking batsman in Indian line-up currently, the fact which one cannot deny. Though he still has a long way to go but his short international career plus his batting style in Tests and ODIs till now has shown that he is the one like Virender Sehwag, who just wants to bash the bowlers.

But there is one thing that separates him from Sehwag, he has footwork like that of Virat Kohli, he has that sweep like Andy Flower, he has that power of Matthew Hayden and the ability to build a temperament like Rahul Dravid and might also come up with captaincy skills like M.S. Dhoni if given a chance. He is a responsible man as well, barring that foolish attempt to hurriedly reach to 200 run mark in the final Test against England when he was caught on 199.

He has that factor in him which can be enough to label him as the next T20 skipper of India. Rest, depends on upon the selectors to give him a chance or not.

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