The former Indian captain, Dinesh Karthik, has picked two players who can captain India across formats in the future. Even if a team is being led by a good captain, it always becomes quite important for the side to keep other options looking at the upcoming future. Having a captain who is leaning towards the end of his career, it becomes essential for the side to prepare someone for the role in the future.
Rohit Sharma, at the age of 37, decided to call his time after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America, as the responsibility of the shortest format was handed over to Suryakumar Yadav.
In the past, when Rohit took time off the game, it was KL Rahul who led the side on most occasions, while Shubman Gill, the current vice-captain of the Blue Brigade, was the skipper of the young side when they made their trip to Zimbabwe for the five-match T20I series.
Dinesh Karthik leaves out KL Rahul to decide future all-format captains for India
Generally, the captain of the side is someone with incredible quality in handling the pressure of the game and someone whose place in the team is cemented. There is only Jasprit Bumrah who walks into the Indian team of any format without any hesitation. The fast bowler captained the Indian team during their only Test of the 2022 summer against England in July, and then the two T20Is in Ireland.
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The Ahmedabad-born, who hasn’t been on the list of Dinesh Karthik regarding the future all-formats captains of the national side, is the current vice-captain of the red-ball format and has served the same role during the country’s ODI and T20 World Cup last year. Being a fast bowler, it becomes quite important to manage his workload.
Hardik Pandya has always been one of the consistent members of India in T20Is and ODIs, but being away from the red-ball for the last five to six years, the all-rounder hasn’t been an option in that aspect.
Dinesh Karthik has backed the two youngsters to take the top role of leading the national side in Test, ODIs, and T20Is at the same time, which takes a lot of physical and mental ability.
During the recent ‘AskCB with DK’ show in Cricbuzz, the Tamil Nadu-born was asked to pick the next future captain of India in all three formats, to which the former RCB batter shouldered on two players who have been pretty good leading their franchise in the Indian Premier League.
“Two players come straight into my mind who are young and who have the potential and definitely can lead India in all the formats shortly.” Dinesh Karthik remarked during the interaction. “One Rishabh Pant, two Shubman Gill. Both of them are captains of IPL teams and have captained India. I do think in time, they have the chance to become the all-format captain for India as well.”
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Pant has led India during their home T20I series against South Africa in the middle of 2022, while Gill seems to carry a better chance for the position after the selectors preferred him over Hardik to be the new vice-captain of the white-ball side in Sri Lanka.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors are likely to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, and Dinesh Karthik predicted Shubman Gill could enjoy the vice-captaincy role for the national side.