"You should definitely look forward but need to see immediate as well" - Azharuddin picks Rohit Sharma as India's next Test captain
Mohammad Azharuddin has cast his vote for Rohit Sharma as Team India's next Test skipper.
The Indian selectors will have to pick a new Test skipper, with Virat Kohli stepping down from the post after the Test series loss to South Africa. Rohit and KL Rahul are considered to be the favorites for the role.
During a discussion on India News, Mohammad Azharuddin was asked who he sees as the next skipper who can take the Indian team forward for the next 5-6 years. He responded:
"I feel seeing 5-6 years ahead is a long time. You should definitely look forward but need to see immediate as well. Just to look forward, you cannot give to an inexperienced player, which might cause a problem."
While acknowledging Rohit Sharma's fitness issues, the former India skipper wants the Mumbaikar to take over the leadership role. Azharuddin observed:
"I feel Rohit Sharma is a good player and can be a very good captain. He might play cricket for another two or three years, he might play more as well but his fitness will be very important because his hamstring becomes weak repeatedly."
Azharuddin added that South Africa benefitted from Rohit's absence during the recently concluded Test series. He explained:
"His absence in this series also became an advantage for South Africa because he is an attacking player, plays in an attacking fashion as an opener as well. Whatever experience I have and whatever cricket I have played, I feel the captaincy should be given to Rohit only."
Dilip Vengsarkar (in TOI) said "I would appoint Rohit or Ashwin as the new Test captain and groom a captain for the future like we appoint Anil Kumble as the Test captain in 2007 and giving Dhoni some more time before taking the Test captaincy".
Rohit was ruled out of the Test series against the Proteas due to a hamstring injury. The limited-overs skipper is also not part of the Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against the same opponents, with KL Rahul performing captaincy duties instead.
"It should not be too much of a problem" - Mohammad Azharuddin on age not being on Rohit Sharma's side
Mohammad Azharuddin also replied in the negative when asked whether Rohit's age could go against him being appointed skipper. He reasoned:
"Agree he is 34 years old, he is not that old. He can play 5-6 years easily, he is a batter. If he had been an all-rounder, I would have thought differently or given a different answer but because he is a batter, it should not be too much of a problem."
After some bewildering fluctuations in form, KL Rahul is on a good wicket again. I think his consistency in scoring is more critical for India than the additional responsibility of being test match captain. Being groomed as Rohit's successor might be the way to go
Azharuddin was also asked about Team India having the same skipper in all three formats in such a scenario. The 58-year-old opined that should not be a problem either.