Rohit Sharma can lead the Test team if he is fit, says Ravi Shastri
Rohit Sharma (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that Rohit Sharma can lead the India Test team if he is fit. Currently, the Test captaincy position is left vacant as Virat Kohli decided to step down from the job after his side lost the three-match Test series to South Africa.
Sharma was named as the vice-captain of the Test team ahead of the tour but he got injured and was ruled out of the entire tour Currently, he is recovering from his injury and is expected to join the team for the limited-overs series against West Indies at home.
Meanwhile, Shastri has said that if the 34-year-old is fit, he can lead the team. “If Rohit is fit, why can’t he be the captain in Tests too. He was appointed vice-captain for the South Africa series but he couldn’t go there because of injuries. So why not, if he was made the vice-captain, why can’t he be promoted to captaincy.” Ravi Shastri, who is in Oman as Commissioner of Legends League Cricket, said as quoted by India Today
The 1983 World Cup-winner added that there is no need to appoint a vice-captain in the team. He reasoned that there might be a case where a team names a vice-captain who doesn’t fit into the playing XI. Rohit’s vice-captain has to be seen. Rahul Dravid has to see who that person could be because that player has to be a certainty in the playing XI. I think, why name the vice-captain at all? Decide on the tour who is the most experienced player, who is playing well. You announce your vice-captain in advance, and later you realise that your vice-captain doesn’t fit in your XI,” he added.
