"What he said is not wrong" - Aakash Chopra on Sunil Gavaskar asking for Jasprit Bumrah to be made captain instead of Rohit Sharma for BGT 2024-25
Aakash Chopra reckons Sunil Gavaskar is 'not wrong' in suggesting that Jasprit Bumrah and not Rohit Sharma should be India's captain for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Gavaskar recently pointed out that Rohit shouldn't be the skipper as he might not be available at the start of the tour.
India will face Australia in a five-Test series, with the first game starting in Perth on November 22. Reports suggest Rohit could miss one of the first two Tests for personal reasons.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener acknowledged that Gavaskar's view that Bumrah should be made the skipper for the entire tour has merit.
"Since we don't know when Rohit Sharma will be traveling as it's because of personal reasons, Sunny bhai believes that if the captain is not available at the start, he shouldn't be the captain at all. So the vice-captain you have appointed should be made the captain," he said (1:10).
"Once the captain goes, he should play as a player because it's wrong to start a big series without the captain. What he said is not wrong. This has a lot of merit. It has happened once, Virat Kohli captained the first match and wasn't available for the next three matches," Chopra added.
Chopra noted that the scenario is similar to the last tour, where Virat Kohli was appointed the captain even though it was known that he would play only the first Test.
"It was known beforehand itself. He played the first match and left, and Ajinkya Rahane captained after that. India lost the first match, they were all out for 36, but after that, they won in Melbourne, drew in Sydney, and broke Gabba's pride. So it's not that it's happening for the first time that the captain isn't available for the entire series. Virat has done that earlier and Rohit is not reaching there," he observed.
Kohli returned to India after the visitors' crushing defeat in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide on the 2020-21 tour of Australia for the birth of his first child. Ajinkya Rahane captained India in the remaining three Tests and helped them register their second consecutive 2-1 series win Down Under.
"I can understand what the selection committee is trying to do" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's appointment as skipper
![Rohit Sharma has never captained India in Australia in Tests. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/34b26-17308646849744-1920.jpg?w=500)
However, Aakash Chopra noted that he understands why the Indian think tank persisted with Rohit Sharma as the skipper.
"It's not even confirmed whether he is reaching there or not. So when you look at it from that vantage point, that we don't know whether he will reach or not, he might be available throughout the series. I can understand what the selection committee is trying to do," he said (2:05) in the same video.
The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that sticking with Rohit is the right call as he might be available for the entire series.
"I feel it is right. If you have appointed a captain and assuming he becomes available, the personal reasons are resolved before itself, then he will be playing at Perth. Then he will play the entire series. Since it's not confirmed whether he will be there or not, let Rohit be the captain," Chopra noted.
Chopra concluded by expressing hope that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are among the runs in Australia. He added that India won't be able to do well without both of them firing as they are the heart and heartbeat of the side.