Former India batsman Suresh Raina has revealed his choice for India’s captain in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The highly-anticipated tournament is scheduled to be played in June this year in the West Indies and the USA.
The way things had unfolded last year, Hardik Pandya was looking set to lead the Indian team in the T20 World Cup. Regular captain Rohit Sharma was not picked in the T20I team after the T20 World Cup in 2022 and Hardik Pandya was given the responsibility of the team after his impressive display as a captain in IPL.
However, Rohit is now in contention to lead the team in the World Cup after being recalled to the T20I side for the ongoing three-match series against Afghanistan. He is also leading the Men in Blue in the series. As per media reports, the selectors were keen to bring Rohit back into the T20I team after his stunning performance as a batsman and captain in the ODI World Cup last year.
Suresh Raina reveals his pick:
Rohit led India to the final of the ODI World Cup for the first time since 2011 and finished the tournament as the second highest run-scorer. He scored almost 600 runs in the competition at a stunning strike-rate of 126. The right-handed batsman also smashed a staggering 31 sixes in the tournament.
While only time will tell who leads India in the T20 World Cup, Suresh Raina has thrown his support Rohit. The 2011 World Cup-winner has said that he would like to see Rohit in charge of the team even if Pandya is in the team.
“Absolutely. I think Rohit brings a lot of clarity. Rohit brings a lot of intent in the dressing room. We have seen that in the World Cup. In the dressing room, we have seen how players respect him, how they see him as a friend and on top of that, he has been in prime form,” Suresh Raina told Sports18.
“He has been leading from the front. He has been taking a lot of bold decisions. He has been great with fielding placements. He has been a gun player for India for many, many years. I think he should lead India in the T20 World Cup. You never know, he might repeat South Africa 2007,” Raina added.
Talking about Pandya, he has led India in 11 T20Is so far. In IPL, he led Gujarat Titans to title in their maiden season before helping them to make it to the final last year. Recently, he also replaced Rohit as the captain of the Mumbai Indians franchise. The star allrounder is currently sidelined with an injury that he sustained in October during the World Cup match against Bangladesh.
