Outgoing head coach and captain duo Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli have both backed vice-captain Rohit Sharma to take over the reins of India’s T20I side after curtains were raised on Kohli’s long, successful tenure with the end of the T20 World Cup campaign on Monday.
At the toss for India’s final Super 12 game against Namibia in Dubai, Kohli strongly indicated that Rohit could be his successor, even though a final confirmation in this regard is expected only after incoming head coach Rahul Dravid sits down with the national selection committee.
“I’ve been immensely proud of how the team has played and also grateful for the opportunity to have led the Indian cricket team in the T20 format for so many years, and now I think it’s time for the next lot to take this team format.
Obviously, Rohit is here, he’s [been] overlooking [overseeing] things for a while now. We’ll always be the leaders in the group but [it’s] also a milestone moment for Indian cricket, especially moving forwards,”
Kohli said at the toss, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Shastri, whose very fruitful stint with the side also came to an end, said Rohit is a “capable guy” with undoubted leadership acumen and success, winning five Indian Premier League trophies and ably filling in as T20I captain whenever the team has required.
“It’s not such a bad thing (Kohli shedding some of his workload) and 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 ready in the wings to take that job. As far as the T20 team goes, I think we’ll always have a strong team,”
said the former India allrounder.
“We might have not won this World Cup but I think going forward you’ll continue to have a very strong team because the IPL throws a lot of young players into the mix. Rahul [Dravid] will have his own ideas on how to take this team forwards and I see it still being a very good team.”
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Kohli had announced his decision to quit the T20I captaincy at the start of the second half of the IPL, where also he is leaving the top job for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The idea is to manage “workload” going forward as an all-format player and Test and ODI skipper of the Indian side.
The match against Namibia was Kohli’s 50th as India captain since taking over from MS Dhoni back in 2017. He led the side to wins in 30 of those. Virat’s win-loss record of 1.875 is the best for an Indian captain in T20I history. The record includes series wins in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa.
Following the win over Namibia, Kohli said at the post-match presentation that it is indeed the right time for him to step aside in order to manage his workload but added that he will continue to be involved in all possible ways and retain his aggressive attitude on the field.
If Rohit does take over India’s T20I side, Kohli will be leaving the side in able hands. His deputy has been a successful captain himself for Mumbai Indians and India. Apart from his remarkable five titles with MI, he has won 15 of his 19 T20Is as India skipper.
