Rishabh Pant can replace Virat Kohli as Test captain, has the ability to take Indian cricket forward: Sunil Gavaskar

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar reckons Rishabh Pant can replace Virat Kohli as the Test captain as he has the ability to take Indian cricket forward.

Kohli surprisingly decided to relinquish his Test captaincy on Saturday after India’s 2-1 loss against South Africa.

Kohli led India in 68 Test matches in which the team won 40 matches, lost 17 while 11 games ended in a draw. Under Kohli’s reign as Test captain, India savored great success in overseas conditions and also won their maiden Test series in Australia.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that KL Rahul, who led India in the absence of Virat Kohli in the second Test match against South Africa, will take over the captaincy bridle for the Indian Test team. Furthermore, Rohit Sharma could also be one of the options for the selection committee to be India’s new Test skipper.

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant had led Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021 and had taken the team to playoff stages. Pant doesn’t have a lot of experience of leading a team in red-ball cricket but he has already played some valuable knocks in Test format.

“It’s going to be quite a debate as far as the selection committee is concerned as to who should be taking Indian cricket forward. First of all, it should be someone who is an automatic pick across all formats of the game. Once that happens, it will be a lot easier,” Gavaskar said on India Today.

“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.

Pant has definitely shown the skills to go a long way in his career and it would be interesting to note if the selectors will put their weight behind him. Pant is still young in his Test career while he has scored four Test centuries.

Gavaskar revealed why he wants Rishabh Pant to be the next Test captain of the Indian team.

“Yes, I am saying that. Tiger Pataudi was captain at the age of 21 under adverse circumstances when Nari Contractor was injured. Look what he did after that. He took to captaincy like duck to water. 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 added.