The discussion surrounding the captaincy of the Indian Test team has been a hot topic among cricket fans on social media. Many fans have expressed their opinions, advocating for either Ravichandran Ashwin or Virat Kohli to replace Rohit Sharma as captain in the game’s longest format. However, according to former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra, it is unlikely that Kohli will return as captain for the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Chopra believes that although Kohli can be made the captain again, it is unlikely to happen. He points out that Kohli voluntarily stepped down from the Test captaincy after India toured South Africa in 2022, where the team lost the Test series 2-1. Kohli’s decision surprised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as no one had asked him to leave the captaincy role. Under Kohli’s leadership, the Indian Test team successfully won 40 out of 68 Tests.
“He can be made, but he won’t be, and maybe that’s the right thing as well because no one asked him to leave Test captaincy. This thing has been cleared multiple times from different quarters that no one said that he wouldn’t remain the Test captain,” said the former Indian Test opener on his YouTube channel.
“When he decided that he won’t remain the captain, the BCCI was taken aback slightly by what happened, that they will have to search for a captain. So that was a slightly different thing, but not now,” Chopra further added.
The discussions about Test captaincy have been triggered by India’s defeat in the WTC 2023 final against Australia. Pat Cummins’ side emerged victorious, defeating India by 209 runs. This loss has led to speculations and debates regarding the team’s leadership.
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Looking ahead, Rohit Sharma will again lead the Indian team in whites during the upcoming West Indies tour. It remains to be seen how things unfold and who will take over the captaincy reins for the new WTC cycle. The BCCI will play a crucial role in making the decision, considering the team’s performance and the available options.
