"Rohit is very laid-back; Bumrah is just a lovely, smiley bloke" - Michael Vaughan feels India's missing "inspirational leadership" in BGT 2024-25
Former England captain-turned-pundit Michael Vaughan believes India would miss "charismatic leadership" of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which, according to him, is crucial to take down Australia.
In his column in The Telegraph, Vaughan wrote that skipper Rohit Sharma is "very laid-back." He added that vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is a "smiley bloke", while head coach Gautam Gambhir has had a poor start as a coach, freshly coming off a home whitewash against New Zealand. He feels that together, they are missing the "snarl" Kohli and Shastri brought.
"When they won here in 2018-19 and 2020-21, they had Kohli as captain first time, and Ajinkya Rahane for much of the second," Vaughan wrote. "Both times, Ravi Shastri was head coach, so they had genuinely inspirational and charismatic leadership from at least one member of the axis. This time, it is Gautam Gambhir, who has had a poor start as head coach, and Rohit as captain, with Bumrah standing in while he is on paternity leave. Rohit is very laid-back, and Bumrah is just a lovely, smiley bloke. They are missing that snarl that you need to take down Australia."
Earlier, Vaughan had also spoken about how Kohli feeds on confrontation and drama, which he hasn't been able to get much of since stepping down as Test captain.
India also need someone to step into Cheteshwar Pujara's shoes
Vaughan also spoke about a subject that many Indian pundits have touched upon as well -- Cheteshwar Pujara's absence. More than the amount of his runs, it was his determination to stay at the crease that helped India navigate the new ball and Australia's bowlers in the last two tours of Australia.
"They also need someone to step into Cheteshwar Pujara’s shoes," he said. "When teams have won in Australia over the past two decades, they have had a cornerstone to their batting. Someone who just really grinds the bowlers down, sending them into fourth and fifth spells. Pujara has done it brilliantly, so too Alastair Cook for England in 2010-11. You need dogged, determined, stubborn, selfish batting, and you only need a few shots to do it."
Pujara's value can be understood by the fact that even Josh Hazlewood said he was happy the former India number three wasn't on this tour.