‘Why not Virat Kohli?’ – Former India chief selector talks about India’s Test captaincy dilemma

Indian cricket team will be back in action after a much-needed 1-month break after the hectic cricket schedule. The Men in Blue are set to play a multi-format series in West Indies which will be started on July 12 with a 2-match Test series followed by 3-ODIs and 5-T20I matches series. Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the team in Test and ODI format while Hardik Pandya will lead the team in T20I format in Rohit’s absence.

Meanwhile, former India chief selector MSK Prasad talked about India’s Test captaincy role and said that Virat Kohli can surely be an option if the selectors are looking beyond Rohit. He believes that if Ajinky Rahane can become the vice-captain then Virat can also take the role of captaincy in the longest format.

“I don’t know if I can answer this question. I don’t know the mindset of the selectors. Usually, the mindset of the selectors should be now with the WTC cycle it should be a clear cycle, that’s how the mindset should be. Why not Virat Kohli? When Ajinkya Rahane can come back and become the vice-captain, then why not Virat Kohli? I don’t know what the mindset of Virat is on the captaincy. In case selectors are thinking beyond Rohit, I don’t know whether they are thinking but if they are thinking beyond Rohit, then I think Virat can also be an option”. Prasad was quoted as saying by Khel Now.

Let Rishabh Pant come back: MSK Prasad

Prasad also talked about the young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant taking over as the Test captain and said that let the batter come back. However, he also mentioned how Pant performed so well when Prasad was a part of the selection committee.

“During our times he just came up. Let him come back. See what Rishabh Pant has done no other wicketkeeper-batter in the history of Indian Cricket has done. Because no wicketkeeper has got runs and centuries in Australia South Africa and England in the Indian Cricket history. Let him come back, let him start getting back on the field. We can’t keep assuming from the selection point of view that this is possible, that is possible, we cannot be a layman prospect”. MSK Prasad said.