Virat Kohli is one of the most dynamic captains in world cricket. In his short career (so far) as Indian cricket team’s captain, he has impressed one and all with his bold decision making and aggressive brand of cricket.
Kohli’s journey from a young Delhi boy who led India to a U19 World Cup victory to India’s captain (in all three formats of the game) is nothing short of inspirational.
Virat Kohli is very young and he will lead Team India for many more years to come. Many believe that he has the potential to better MS Dhoni and other Indian captains’ records, specially in Test cricket.
But, having said that, it also needs to be added that there is a lot of cricket going on these days. Virat Kohli leads India in all three formats of the game, and he is also the backbone of India’s batting order, across all three formats. Although, Virat Kohli is a very fit man and he gives a lot of importance to his diet and workout routine, he is bound to get tired and there is a lot of wear and tear when someone plays so much cricket. So, in that case, India must have some backup options.
In this post, Divey Chawla lists the name of players who can step up and lead Indian Cricket Team when Virat Kohli isn’t around.
1) Ajinkya Rahane (Chances: 7/10)
Ajinkya Rahane is Virat Kohli’s deputy in Test cricket. And he is the obvious choice in that format if Kohli decides to take rest or doesn’t play for some other reason. But is he good enough to lead India in shorter formats? Well, Rahane is a very versatile batsman who has the ability to adjust his game according to the need of the format. In the ODI series against West Indies earlier this year, he was one of India’s top performers.
2) Ravichandran Ashwin (Chances: 6.5/10)
Ravichandran Ashwin is the spearhead of India’s bowling unit. In the last 3 years or so, he has taken his game to a new level altogether. Ashwin is a very intelligent student of the game and he also has a very cool head on his shoulders.
3) Rohit Sharma (Chances 8.5/10)
Rohit Sharma has been leading Mumbai Indians brilliantly in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In fact, he is the most successful captain in IPL history. If Virat Kohli isn’t leading India, Rohit is the best man to take up the responsibility.
4) Hardik Pandya (Chances: 5/10)
Hardik Pandya is one of the rising stars of Indian cricket. In the last 12 months or so, he has worked extremely hard on his game and made a place for himself in the playing XI, in all three formats of the game. Well, he is very young and has no experience of leading a side, but he is a quick learner and very aggressive like Virat Kohli. Also, his stature in Indian cricket is growing day by day.
5) Suresh Raina (Chances 4.5/10)
Suresh Raina is working hard to make a comeback to international cricket. The last time he played a match for India was in February this year; a T20I game against England. But, he has been working very hard on his game and fitness. In IPL 2017, he was one of the leading run-scorers and since then he has been interacting with his fans on social media and giving them hope that he is working very hard and will soon make a comeback. If Raina manages to push the selectors with his good performances and makes a comeback, he won’t be that bad an option to lead India in Virat Kohli’s absence, in limited-overs cricket. He has captaincy experience and stays cool in the middle like his good old buddy MS Dhoni.
