After Rohit Sharma retired on May 7, the conversation around India’s Test captaincy shifted from who to when, with all focus on one person. Whereas pundits had concluded that Jasprit Bumrah, who steered India to their lone win during the just-concluded tour of Australia and was vice-captain for the format, should be succeeding Rohit as captain, reportedly the BCCI has opted to make Shubman Gill captain next. However, the narrative did not sit well with former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth, who named a new contender for the captaincy race and backed the same individual to even replace Virat Kohli at No. 4 in the Test line-up.
Bumrah’s Injury Woes Dent His Captaincy Chances
Bumrah lost ground in the race because of his trouble with back injuries. The paceman had lately experienced back spasms in the Australia series played in early January, and had missed the Champions Trophy as well as the opening of the IPL 2025. This was the second instance when Bumrah experienced an extended injury break because of a back issue.
Gill, 25, enjoys age on his side and has proven himself as a white-ball deputy and IPL captain for Gujarat Titans. The BCCI reportedly supports him as the next Test skipper, with his first assignment set to be the tour of England in June.
Srikkanth Challenges Credentials of Shubman Gill
But Srikkanth raised questions over the report as he was of the view that Gill isn’t even guaranteed a place in the playing XI. He thus supported KL Rahul for the position. The India great also recommended Bumrah and Rishabh Pant to inherit the captaincy responsibilities.
“He is not even a certainty in Test cricket. The captaincy should be given to Jasprit Bumrah, and if he is not fit or available for any match, then KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant should lead India,” he told the Times of India.
Concerns Over Overseas Form of Shubman Gill
Srikkanth apparently drew inspiration from recent performance of Shubman Gill in Australia, where he made his vulnerability on foreign surfaces clear. The Indian batter has thus far averaged a mere 19 across 12 innings on foreign soil without scoring a half-century mark away from home. As an opener, the average is 31.54 abroad, but he has no fond memory of playing with the brand-new duke ball in England, scoring a mere 88 in six innings.
The bigger worry for the selectors and the management will be identifying a capable No. 4 for India, a slot that has never been in doubt ever since Kohli was in the position for the last 12 years. The retirement of the 36-year-old, though, has led Srikkanth to recommend Rahul for the role in the series against England.
Srikkanth Recommends KL Rahul for No. 4
“Coming to the question about India’s next No. 4 in Test cricket, for me, KL Rahul should be given that position. He can be India’s lynchpin going forward in Test cricket. He has got the right technique, and the management should give him that fixed role,” he said.
Mark Boucher Echoes Support for KL Rahul
Dropped South African cricketer Mark Boucher also supported Rahul for the position, even though the Karnataka batsman had established himself as an opener in the tour of Australia and played well in the recent tour of England against the new ball.
“KL Rahul is one of the guys who might not be the youngster anymore, but he could fulfill the role. Technically, he’s good. I think he can bat both ways, which I think a No. 4 has to be able to do. He needs to have a strong technique in case you lose one or two quick wickets. Then he needs to be able to step on the gas with regard to the run rate, which I think he can do as well,” he told TOI.