In national interest, Rohit, if/when offered, should turn down Test Captaincy.
"In national interest” is perhaps the most abused phrase these days, so much so that people use it even for the most trivial of things for fun. Anything that follows the phrase is pre-justified or is beyond contention. Let me also, then, delve into this nationalistic fervor and present a case which is indeed in the interest of the nation, but backed by some rationale, unlike most.
Indian cricket is now at a crossroads following kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Virat Kohli’s resignation from the Test captaincy. With a home Test series against Sri Lanka looming, a crucial decision must soon be made as to who is going to succeed him. There are a few contenders, but none so obvious and deserving compared to Rohit Sharma.
This is not a jibe at others, nor is it to cast aspersions, but the writer is of the opinion that Rohit is our best bet at this juncture. His tactical acumen is second to none in the current Indian team set-up. His leadership qualities are well-documented. He is in form. He is perhaps one of the four definite starters for India in Tests (Kohli, Pant, Bumrah being the other three).
He gets along well with everyone and enjoys a great rapport with current Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid, under whom he earned his maiden India cap back in 2007. So, this is an all-roads-lead-to-rome kind of scenario which is difficult to argue against.
There will be immense pressure on Rohit to deliver in all formats
But it is only fair to rise above the limited lens of Test cricket and look at the bigger picture, which is all formats of cricket. Test-cricket-is-best-cricket (no doubt a cliche) is only valid as there are ODIs or T20Is to compare it with.
A World Cup trophy is just as important as a World Test Championship title, even more so when India are yet to lift one in 11 years. With a T20 World Cup scheduled for later this year and a 50-over one next year, the stakes have never been so high.
It is in this context that the writer believes Rohit will be better off without additional burden/responsibility (whichever way you look at it) of the Test captaincy bestowed upon him. That he is an irreplaceable asset in limited overs cricket, is a no-brainer. He’s recently been named the white ball captain for India. At 34, he is not getting any younger.
He is injury-prone. From a twisted ankle that delayed his Test debut in 2010, to a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the ongoing South Africa tour, he's had a torrid experience with his body giving in at times to the intense rigors of international cricket interspersed with the two-month marathon that is IPL. It’s as much on the selectors to manage his workload as it is on him to understand his body.
Now, beyond the grit and grind of the body, beyond a well-balanced diet, and beyond a perfect technique, lies the key to an athlete’s success – the mind. A fit body can hardly achieve anything without a fresh mind.
A Test captaincy for Rohit would mean he would be the first man on the team sheet on every overseas/home series, multiple games per series, five days per game. Combined with the decision-making mantle on the field and the tremendous pressure of leading a team in all formats with a million eyeballs and endless expectations, he may reach a point of breakdown. India can’t afford that. Heck, Rohit can’t afford that.
For, the celebrated cricketer he’s been, he is yet to win an ODI World Cup. He must have dreamt of leading India in white from the day he donned the blue like every aspiring cricketer but, for India’s prospect of lifting the most coveted trophy again, he must consider declining if/when such an offer comes his way.
That is not to say that with him captaining India in all formats wouldn’t bring us a World Cup or that he refusing to lead in Tests would guarantee one. However, India will be better served in the limited overs showpiece tournament with a fit and fresh Rohit at the helm. Of that, there is no doubt.
And since we’re living in a time where Cricket and Nationalism go hand in hand (at least in India), it is only apt to say “in national interest”, Rohit mustn’t accept Test captaincy.