Make KL Rahul vice-captain in T20Is, groom him as future leader, says Sunil Gavaskar

Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes it is time for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to groom KL Rahul as the next India captain. Gavaskar has expressed his desire to see Rahul named as the Indian vice-captain for the shortest format, with Rohit Sharma expected to take over the skipper’s role. Virat Kohli has decided to step down from captaincy in T20Is, citing workload management as the factor behind this decision.

“It’s a good thing that the BCCI is looking ahead. It’s important to think ahead. If India are looking to groom a new captain, then KL Rahul can be looked at. He has performed well. Even now in England, his batting was very good. He has been performing well in IPL and 50-overs cricket as well at the international stage. Can be made vice-captain,” said Gavaskar on Sports Tak.

“He has shown very impressive leadership qualities in the IPL. He hasn’t let the burden of captaincy affect his batting. His name can be taken into consideration,” he added.

Current head coach Ravi Shastri’s tenure with the Indian team as well as that of the support staff is coming to an end with the conclusion of the T20 World Cup. There are reports that they won’t be seeking an extension.

“There is a CAC that will make the decision. If you want to think about the new coach, then you can’t keep talking to the captain. Yes, there needs to be an understanding between the captain and the coach. But you can’t ask a student who his principal or professor can be,” said Gavaskar.

Virat Kohli deserves to win T20 World Cup as captain: Dilip Vengsarkar

Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has expressed his desire to see Kohli go out on a high as T20I captain, spearheading the team on to a triumph in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup.

“I think he has been an outstanding cricketer and outstanding captain. He has done extremely well as captain and won many matches. But of course, in the T20 format, he has not done really well even in the IPL for his team. They have not been able to win the title even once. IPL would have played in his mind,” Vengsarkar told India Today.

“He would like to concentrate in the Test format, which is very important for India. I thought he would announce any decision after the World Cup. I hope he wins the World Cup because he deserves it. He has worked hard all these years for Indian cricket. I hope he goes out on a high note. Kohli is a world-class batsman and is a good captain, has done extremely well in Tests and ODIs. I guess he would have wanted to concentrate more on Tests,” he added.

“It’s very unfortunate. You cannot guarantee winning in this format. Way back in 2007, we did not guarantee that we would win the World Cup but we won the World Cup. In the Test format, he has been able to do very well. Any team can beat any side in this format. I hope he wins the World Cup because he has worked hard for Indian cricket. He is a world-class player and he wears his heart on his sleeves,” concluded Vengsarkar.