BCCI is yet to make a formal announcement regarding Virat Kohli’s replacement as the T20I captain, but outgoing head coach Ravi Shastri has more or less confirmed that Rohit Sharma will be Kohli’s successor. The T20 World Cup, in which India failed to qualify for the knockout stages, was Kohli’s last as India’s shortest format captain and also Shastri’s last as India head coach. While the board has already announced Rahul Dravid as India’s new head coach but it is yet to confirm India’s next T20I captain.
Highlighting Rohit’s credentials – he is the most successful captain in IPL with 5 titles and has also led India to victory in the multi-format tournaments like the Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup – Ravi Shastri said he is ‘waiting in the wings’ to take over the reins from Kohli.
During a virtual press conference on Monday after India’s win over Namibia, Ravi Shastri said, “I think in Rohit you’ve got a very capable guy. He’s won so many IPLs. He’s the vice-captain of this side. He’s waiting in the wings to take that job.”
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Talking about Virat Kohli’s decision to give up the T20I captaincy, and how India will have different skippers for separate formats, Ravi Shastri said it won’t be a bad thing at all.
Elaborating the same, Ravi Shastri said, “I think it’s not such a bad thing because of the bubble and because of the amount of cricket being played. The players need to be rotated around and given the space they need to spend some time with their families, see their parents. Like I said, when a guy doesn’t go home for six months, he might have his family with him, but if he’s got parents and other family and you don’t get a chance to see them, it’s not easy at all.”
Kohli, in his last match as the T20I captain, had hinted that white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma will be leading the team in their next assignment against New Zealand starting on November 17 at home.
Virat Kohli said, “It’s been an honour for me, I was given the opportunity and I tried to do my best. But it’s also time to create some space and move forward. I’ve been immensely proud of how the team has played. Now I think it’s time for the next lot to stake this team forward. Obviously Rohit is here and he’s overlooking things for a while now.”
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BCCI is likely to name India’s squad for the New Zealand home series on Tuesday. Dravid’s support staff will also be named ass bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar will also won’t continue to be a part of the Indian set-up.
