5 Indian Cricketers Who Can Lead Team India In Future

India have got many talented skippers in the past who have led the country from the front and took their side to the pinnacle of success. Incumbent captain Virat Kohli also has a massive success rate as the leader as the Men in Blues are currently one of the top teams. But who can lead India when Virat decides to step down?

From Kapil Dev to Sourav Ganguly to MS Dhoni and now Kohli, the country has had some of the talented skippers of all time. All of them have left their impressions on the team and have had an individual effect on the side.

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Under Virat Kohli, India have been a top ODI side and is also the top-ranked team when it comes to Test Cricket. However, the selectors will look to make their options ready and prepare a few candidates to be at the helm of the set-up if Kohli decides to resign from the role.

We at Cricket Addictor will take a look at the five possible candidates who can replace current skipper Virat Kohli as Team India captain:

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5. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer has made it into the Indian team on the back of some consistent outing in domestic cricket over the years. He has made his opportunities count in the ODI series against West Indies and cemented his spot in the ODI side.

The Mumbai cricketer is also very handy in the other two formats of the game. With time Iyer will attain more maturity and will be one of the frontrunners to replace current skipper Virat Kohli as team India captain.

Iyer is currently the skipper of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team and the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He has a fair bit of experience and has shown his abilities to lead a side filled with star-studded cricketers. The middle-order batsman will certainly be the one to look for the future.

4. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has come up the ranks quickly to be India’s no 1 wicket-keeper batsman. Although he has big shoes of MS Dhoni to fill, but the young cricketer has shown the skill set required to be successful at the highest stage.

Impressing in the U19 World Cup and then in the IPL for Delhi Capitals (previously known as Delhi Daredevils), Pant has made it to the Indian team at a very young age. He is an aggressive batsman who can change a match from any situation. However, the Delhi-born cricketer needs tp show more maturity.

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As the selectors look at Pant as the best option for the wicket-keeping role, he will be one of the potential candidates to lead India in the future when Virat Kohli steps down. He is also the skipper of the Delhi Ranji team.

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul is one of the most talented batsmen in the world cricket right now. His ability to transform according to the situation and tear apart any bowling attack has earned the trust of the management and the skipper Virat Kohli. But, he lacks consistency which has always questioned his place in the playing XI.

The opening batsman, who hails from Karnataka has led his state side only on few occasions. He has shown the ability to lead a team from the front. Rahul will be a potential candidate for the India skipper if Virat decides to step down at one point of time.

With Rahul a good option across the formats, he will be one of the top names to feature in the minds of the selectors. But for that to happen, the cricketer needs to strive for consistency and justify his place in the playing XI.

2. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya made the headlines with his all-round abilities in the IPL for Mumbai Indians. Pandya appeared to be the answer to India’s search for a seam-bowling allrounder, and with his sprightly fielding complementing his main skill-sets, he sealed his spot.

Since then, the Baroda all-rounder has been a pivotal part in the line-up, mainly in the limited-overs cricket. Relatively new in his international career, Pandya is one for the future. He will one of the candidates BCCI will look like a potential skipper.

Although Pandya has only led his stateside in a handful of matches, his passion to succeed and contribute for the team can make him a good leader in the future. Besides, the all-rounder is also a thinking cricketer which will keep him in good stead.

1. Rohit Sharma

India opener Rohit Sharma is one of the most complete batters in the limited-overs right now. When he gets going, Rohit can destroy any bowling unit across the globe as he showed during the World Cup in England.

Working a deputy of Virat Kohli, Rohit is the hot favourite to take up the role of India’s next captain if Virat steps down. The Mumbai-born cricketer has already led India on various occasions in the absence of Kohli and has a great success record.

Besides, Rohit is also one of the most successful skippers in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians. He has the best win percentage among all the skippers including MS Dhoni. Many have already raised speculations to give Rohit the limited-overs leadership and he will take over the role in the near future.

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