Mumbai: Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar on Saturday said Rishabh Pant can be the ideal candidate to lead India in Test cricket following Virat Kohli’s decision to quit as captain.
Kohli took the cricketer fraternity by surprise by coming up with an unforeseen decision to give up the captaincy of the senior national team in Tests on January 15.
Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said he has been impressed with the way 24-year-old Rishabh Pant can shoulder the responsibility of being the Test captain, highlighting the success Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi took over as India’s captain at a very young age and went to achieve incredible success.
“If you ask me, I am still staying, I would look at Rishabh Pant as next India captain.
“For one reason only, just like Rohit Sharma was given the captaincy of Mumbai Indians when Ricky Ponting stepped down, look at the change in his batting after that. Suddenly the responsibility of being captain made him convert those beautiful cameos of 30s, 40s and 50s into hundreds, 150s and 200s.
“I think that sense of responsibility given to Rishabh Pant will help him score many more of that wonderful hundred he scored at Newlands,” he added.
“I think what we have seen with Rishabh Pant as the captain of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, I do believe he has the capability of taking Indian cricket forward and making it a very exciting team to watch,” he said.
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