As India steps into a new chapter of Test cricket, the BCCI has a tough task ahead. With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin no longer in the picture, some younger players are now expected to step up and fill their shoes. Shubman Gill is seen as a potential captain for the Test team, but former cricketer Kris Srikkanth believes he might not be the right choice. Srikkanth, who was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, mentioned that Gill hasn’t fully secured his spot in the Test XI yet, so he shouldn’t be handed the captaincy just yet.
Instead, he thinks Jasprit Bumrah would be a better fit for the role. Srikkanth told India Today, We can’t assume Gill is a sure thing for the XI. Giving the captaincy to someone like KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant isn’t the way either. Bumrah is a solid candidate; just tell him he’s the captain. When he’s not playing, someone like KL Rahul can take over.
Srikkanth also expressed that the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar is pushing Gill for the captaincy too soon. He feels that before taking on such a role, Gill needs to prove himself by scoring runs, especially in tougher conditions outside India. You can’t just make someone a captain for the sake of it. I don’t know what the selectors are thinking, but that’s how I see it, he said.
He also commented on Kohli’s retirement, which has surprised many. While he respects that it’s a personal decision, Srikkanth thinks the BCCI should have tried harder to get him to stay on. If I were in charge, I would have asked him directly to captain India for a bit longer, he explained. Now with Rohit gone too, there’s a big gap in leadership. I would have had a chat with Kohli before he announced his retirement, asking him to lead for a while longer. Srikkanth believes Kohli was one of the best Test captains India ever had.