Saba Karim Affirms India's Options Available For Captaincy
Published - 19 Jun 2022, 04:33 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:09 AM
Former Indian national selector Saba Karim said that plenty of options for captaincy is a great thing for the Indian cricket team and it will soon turn the advantage in overseas tours. Over the years, the Indian cricket team has seen a massive transition under many great captains like Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in different eras of the glory of Indian cricket.
Many players have received the opportunity to lead India in various formats in the past 12 months. In the era of boards open to field two different teams at two different places simultaneously, the opportunities for many fringe players are at aplomb.
Indian cricket team and the promising leaders
Rohit Sharma took over the reins of India’s captaincy in all three formats from Virat Kohli in February this year. During Rohit’s absence in the South Africa tour, KL Rahul fill the shoes of the captain’s role wherever required.
Rahul was once again required to lead the national side in the five-match T20I series against South Africa only an injury to the Indian opener paved the mark for Rishabh Pant to don the captain’s armband.
KL Rahul, Pant, Hardik, all of them are viable options: Saba Karim
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to its maiden title in their first season in IPL 2022, is set to lead India in the upcoming two-match T20I series in Ireland. Karim lauded Hardik’s credentials as a potential leader and mentioned the feedback received from the Gujarat Titans team management.
“KL Rahul, Pant, Hardik, all of them are viable options. I received excellent reports from the team management (Titans) on the way he (Hardik) was able to inspire all his players, not only domestic but also overseas and it augurs well for Indian cricket,” said in a select media interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network on Friday, as reported by The New Indian Express.
“(It’s) just the reward for his (Hardik Pandya’s) skills shown as a captain in the IPL and the way he has conducted himself on and off the field. I think that is one of the biggest reasons the selectors have gone for Hardik. Great opportunity (for him), and I believe he does have the right kind of ability to take the team forward.
Good to see him fit and extremely hungry to score runs for his side and put his arm up whenever the team needs him to bowl. The players have rallied around him and that is a good sign. I’m sure the same thing will happen for the T20I side as well,” he added.
India will play South Africa in the final T20I game of the series on Sunday (June 19) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
