Aakash Chopra Reckons Rohit Sharma Is A Readymade Choice For Captaincy Should India Start Looking For Different Directions

Aakash Chopra, the former Indian opener-turned commentator, has said that while India would persist with the current captain Virat Kohli for the next 12 months, the 2011 World champions might think of a change in guard, should they fail to capture neither of the upcoming T20 World Cups.

Virat Kohli took over the leadership of the Test from MS Dhoni back in 2014 and while he has led India with aplomb in the longest format of the game, he has come under severe scrutiny for his inability to lead the team to a world title in ICC events.

Virat, who took over the leadership reigns of white-ball teams in 2017, has led India to final of the Champions Trophy where they eventually lost to Pakistan and to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup where they lost to New Zealand.

Also Read: Security Will Be Provided And Pakistan Team Will Be Safe In India: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra on whether India should look at Rohit Sharma as captain in white-ball cricket over Virat Kohli

According to Aakash Chopra, Virat Kohli’s performance with the bat are unlikely to take a dip regardless of whether he is captain or not and that Rohit Sharma is a readymade choice to replace him as captain, should India decide to go down that path.

“Rohit is a very good captain. Whenever he has been the captain, be it for Mumbai Indians or for India in the absence of Virat Kohli, he has been very good,” Aakash Chopra said on Sawera Pasha’s Youtube show.

“India is blessed. If India feels 6 months or 1 and a half years down the line that we need a change of guard… I don’t think Kohli’s performance will get affected. He has reached that level wherein he won’t come down from there. His performances will be unaffected regardless of whether he is the captain or not. But as a team, sometimes you want a different direction. If you reach that stage, then Rohit Sharma is a readymade choice available. But till then, you need to persist with Kohli, he is improving as captain,” he said.

“If he has a good bowling attack, like the one he has in Tests, he is a fine captain who knows how to handle the bowlers well. But if he doesn’t have good bowlers, just like the case at RCB, then he is also not that aggressive. For the next 10-12 months, I think it will be Kohli. But after that, if you are looking for a change of guard… I wish India wins an ICC event soon because after 2013 we haven’t won anything. There is a T20 World Cup in India as well. Hopefully, India should win one of these 2. If they don’t win, then you may start thinking ‘let’s look for a change in leadership and find a different tone now’.” Aakash Chopra added.

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