After India’s triumphant victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, cricket fans and experts are speculating about the future leadership of the Indian T20I team. Rohit Sharma, along with Virat Kohli, has announced his retirement from the format, leaving a significant void in both the captaincy and top-order batting positions. While vice-captain Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah are the obvious contenders, Virender Sehwag has a different choice.
Virender Sehwag’s choice for India’s next T20I captain
In a discussion on Cricbuzz, Sehwag revealed that Shubman Gill should be the next T20I captain for India. Despite being a traveling reserve during the World Cup, Gill’s performance across all formats in 2023 has impressed Sehwag. He believed that Gill is a promising candidate for future leadership, especially with Rohit likely to retire from Tests and ODIs soon. Sehwag emphasized, “Shubman Gill will play all formats for India in the future. He had a brilliant year in 2023 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Although he wasn’t part of the World Cup-winning squad, I think it’s the right decision because he is the ideal choice for captaincy when Rohit retires,”
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Appointment and leadership potential
Gill has been appointed as the captain for India’s tour of Zimbabwe, where a second-string team will play five T20Is against the hosts. This series will be his first assignment as India’s captain and marks a significant milestone in his career. At just 24, Gill has already made a notable impact in international cricket, particularly in white-ball formats and have earned the experience of leading Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Gill still needs to establish himself in red-ball cricket, his white-ball credentials are impressive. His consistent performance and calm demeanor make him a suitable candidate for leadership.
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