3 reasons why KL Rahul shouldn't have replaced Shikhar Dhawan as India's captain for the Zimbabwe series
The selectors for the Indian cricket team have copped their fair share of criticism over the last few years, and most of it has been warranted. Their latest dubious call involved the squad picked for the Zimbabwe ODI series, which will commence on August 18 in the lead-up to the 2022 Asia Cup.
Having initially named veteran batter Shikhar Dhawan as the captain for the Zimbabwe ODIs, the selectors chose to hand the reins to KL Rahul after it became clear that the right-handed batter would be fit in time for the series. Rahul is the designated vice-captain, but he was added to the squad only on late notice and a lot of confusion could've been avoided had the selectors been more pragmatic.
Here are three reasons why KL Rahul shouldn't have replaced Shikhar Dhawan as India's captain for the Zimbabwe ODI series.
#3 KL Rahul has suffered from fitness concerns of late
KL Rahul has historically been an injury-prone player, and his fitness concerns have only increased this year. The 30-year-old missed the T20I series against West Indies before missing the Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka. He was unavailable for the T20I series against South Africa and missed the entire England tour as well.
Various groin and hamstring injuries have been among those which have plighted Rahul, who even came down with a bout of COVID-19 and needed some extra time to recover fully. With his availability under such a big question mark, was it really necessary to strip Dhawan of the captaincy and hand it over to him? Is he really the man to lead India in the long run if he can't keep himself fit enough to play on a consistent basis?
Although Rahul is undoubtedly extremely unfortunate to be in the position he is in, these questions must be asked.
#2 The decision is slightly unfair on Shikhar Dhawan
The ODI format is the only one Shikhar Dhawan plays, and India have retained their faith in his abilities at the top of the order when it comes to 50-over cricket. A veteran of 155 ODIs, the southpaw has amassed 6,493 runs at an average of 45.4 and a strike rate of 92.5.
Having already been named captain, Dhawan could've continued in the role as he's certainly a capable leader. He skippered a COVID-hit side in Sri Lanka last year and orchestrated a whitewash against the West Indies, and while it's questionable whether he should be handed the responsibility in the first place given his advanced age, it's safe to say that he has the skills to be at the helm.
Experts like Aakash Chopra have rightly asked whether replacing Dhawan with Rahul was necessary.
#1 KL Rahul hasn't proven himself to be a capable captain
KL Rahul has captained India in three ODIs and one Test. While the sample size may be small, the fact that the Men in Blue have lost all four matches is a fitting reflection of his leadership.
In his career so far, both on the international stage and the Indian Premier League, Rahul has impressed no one with his captaincy. He has often been hesitant to make brave calls, and the ones he has made haven't really paid off. The Karnataka batter has gained a reputation for being highly pedestrian on the field and letting the game drift away from him.
While Rahul could improve with time, few people could have problems if the selectors didn't view him as a viable long-term captain. India need to pick the right direction to move forward, and whether that direction involves Rahul at the helm is highly debatable.