Ravi Shastri Pin Points The ‘Biggest Challenge’ For India White-Ball Captain Rohit Sharma

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has pointed out that the white-ball captain Rohit Sharma has a huge challenge ahead of him as he and the team management prepare for the two ICC events in 2022 and 2023. This will be a transitional phase in the leadership over the next year as BCCI recently named Rohit as the ODI captain of India as well, sacking Virat Kohli from the job.

Rohit Sharma already began his tenure as the full-time T20I captain with a 3-0 series win over New Zealand at home and will take over from Virat Kohli as ODI captain as well, as the selection panel didn’t want to have two captains in two white-ball formats after Kohli refused to stay on as T20I captain post-T20 World Cup 2021.

The time under Shastri also saw incredible growth in Indian pace battery and the former Indian head coach believes that Rohit Sharma will have to steer a new era of Indian pace attack in 2023. India has become one of the best fast bowling teams in recent years, winning two back-to-back Test series in Australia, and are currently leading 2-1 in the five-Test series against England with the last Test to be played in July 2022.

However, Shastri feels that Rohit Sharma will and the team management will have to prepare a good bench of fast bowlers as the current crop is not getting any younger and it would not be wise to expect similar performances from the current pace attack after two years.

“I think to get the right blend of experience and youth, two years down the line, you need to start grooming some players. Think of two years ahead and yet have some experience. So, you might see some new talent; that will come through. The area which you need to look at is the pace bowling (because) they are not going any younger. If we expect them to bowl (2 years later) what they’re bowling now, it might not be the case,” Shastri told Star Sports.

India Will Need To Identify “5 Good Bowlers”: Ravi Shastri

Shastri further mentioned that while the 2023 ODI World Cup will be played in India, it will be easy for Rohit Sharma and co to manage, but in the overseas conditions, India needs to identify atleast five good bowlers, who can pick wickets regularly.

“Therein will be the biggest challenge. To identify 5 good bowlers to play in ’23. It’s easier because it’s in India because there will be spin. It’s tougher when you go overseas. I think there will not be a problem for a year or year and a half, but after that, you will have to really start looking and grooming once you start traveling overseas again,” said Shastri.

Rohit Sharma is expected to begin his full-time ODI captaincy tenure with the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, if he gets fit in time.

Also Read: Pace Bowlers Are Here On Their Own: Mohammed Shami