Jay Shah speaks on India’s captaincy plan

The Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, has outlined key decisions and reflections following India’s successful campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 co-hosted by the USA and West Indies.

In an interview with reporters in Barbados, Shah disclosed that discussions among BCCI officials and selectors are underway to appoint a new captain, emphasizing that an announcement will follow these deliberations.

Regarding all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Shah commended Pandya’s pivotal role in the T20 World Cup, noting that despite a challenging season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, the selectors’ faith in Pandya proved justified through his impactful performances on the global stage.

“Captaincy will be decided by the selectors, and we will announce it after discussing with them. You asked about Hardik, there were a lot of questions over his form, but the selectors showed faith in him, and he proved himself,” Jay Shah said.

Looking ahead, Shah underscored India’s aspirations in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle and the upcoming Champions Trophy, highlighting continuity in squad selection.

“The way this team is progressing, our target is to win the World Test Championship final and Champions Trophy. There will be a similar squad playing there. The seniors will be there,” he said.

Reflecting on Rohit Sharma’s leadership, Shah praised his ability to steer India to victory in the T20 World Cup, contrasting it with India’s undefeated run in the ODI World Cup 2023 where they narrowly lost the final.

“It was the same captain last year and here in Barbados. We won all games except the final in 2023 as Australia played better. This time, we worked even harder and played better to win the title. If you look at other teams, experience counts,” he said.

“From Rohit to Virat, all excelled. Experience makes a lot of difference, in World Cups, you can’t experiment much also. A good player knows when to say goodbye to the game; we saw that yesterday. You look at Rohit’s strike rate; it is better than a lot of young players,” he concluded.

It is worth noting that the Indian team had a successful T20 World Cup campaign, remaining unbeaten throughout and securing the title for the second time after 17 years.

This accomplishment makes India the third team, alongside England and West Indies, to win the T20 World Cup twice.

Potential contenders

As the search begins for their successors, several promising players are in contention to fill the void left by Rohit and Virat Kohli. Here are some key contenders:

Yashasvi Jaiswal has emerged as a strong candidate since the T20 World Cup 2022, opening for India 16 times over the past two years. Selected for the 2024 squad as a backup opener, Jaiswal boasts a T20I average of 33 and a strike rate of 161. He also opens for India in Test cricket, highlighting his versatility.

Shubman Gill is seen by fans and experts as a potential opener and future captain for India in the shorter format. Despite a challenging stint as captain of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, his role as India’s ODI opener adds to his credentials. Gill’s leadership skills were further acknowledged when he was named captain for the Zimbabwe tour.

Though yet to make his international debut, Abhishek Sharma has impressed in the IPL, scoring 710 runs at a strike rate of 180. As a left-arm spinning all-rounder for the U19 side, Sharma’s adaptability and recent form as an opener make him a strong contender. He has been called up for the senior team’s Zimbabwe tour.

Sanju Samson, with his experience and versatility, has opened the innings 44 times in his career, including once for India in a warm-up game against Bangladesh before the T20 World Cup 2024. Though he hasn’t secured a spot in the middle order, Samson’s experience could be valuable in the opening slot.

KL Rahul is perhaps the most experienced candidate to replace Rohit and Kohli. With 72 matches and 2,265 runs at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 139.12, Rahul has a proven track record. Despite being off the radar since the T20 World Cup 2022, his performance in the Cricket World Cup, where he scored 452 runs at an average of 75.33, underscores his capability to deliver in crucial moments.