Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons Shubman Gill and Axar Patel are future captaincy candidates for Team India in Test cricket. He added that either of the two should have been given the vice-captaincy role. His comments came in the light of Indian selectors appointing veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane as India’s vice-captain for the West Indies Test series.
Ajinkya Rahane made his comeback to the Test team in the recently concluded World Test Championship final. He was India’s best batter in the match. The right-handed batter has been assigned the vice-captain, just after his comeback game. Former batter Sunil Gavaskar feels Shubman Gill or Axar Patel should have been given the responsibility. Speaking to Sports Tak, he said,
“One is Shubman Gill and the other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view.”
“If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well,” he added.
Missed an opportunity to groom a young player: Sunil Gavaskar
With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in their mid-30s, Sunil Gavaskar feels it’s time to groom a new captain for Team India. He expressed that Team India has missed the opportunity of naming a youngster as the vice-captain. He added that the Team management should pick youngsters, and groom them as future leaders.
“There is nothing wrong in having him (Ajinkya Rahane) as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader,” said Sunil Gavaskar.
The two-match Test series against West Indies will be India’s first assignment in the 2023-25 World Test Championship. The series kicks off on July 12 with the first Test at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica. India will also play three ODIs and five T20Is against West Indies.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
