India need new T20 captain in place of Rohit Sharma, if it’s Hardik Pandya WHY NOT, says ex-coach Ravi Shastri

Rohit Sharma has been given a break from the limited-overs series against New Zealand, starting on Friday (November 18) with Hardik Pandya leading the T20I side.

Source: Twitter

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri is not someone who minces his words when it comes to giving his opinion on cricket. Shastri, who was India’s chief coach before Rahul Dravid took over, believes it is time for India to get a new T20 captain to replace Rohit Sharma.

Rohit, who struggled with the bat in the T20 World Cup 2022, is already leading India in ODI and Test format as well apart from T20Is. The Mumbai Indians skipper has been given a break from the limited-overs series against New Zealand, starting on Friday (November 18) with Hardik Pandya leading the T20I side.

Shastri said that all-rounder Hardik Pandya should be the new T20I captain for India. “There is no harm in having a new full-time new T20I captain. India need to start identifying a new T20 captain to replace Rohit Sharma, who is already leading the team in ODIs and Test, and if he is Hardik Pandya why not,” Shastri said during a media interaction organized by Prime Video on Thursday (November 17) said.

The former India head coach was also against breaks given to head coach Rahul Dravid and the support staff, who have been replaced for interim coach VVS Laxman for this series. “I don’t believe in breaks, I want to understand my team and how they are performing. What do you need breaks for, you get 2-3 months of IPL to take break. Coaches don’t need to take break in my opinion,” Shastri said.

Preps for the T20I series opener! #TeamIndia | #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/mfdNQxFhm1

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2022

Former India pacer and Mumbai Indians director of cricket Zaheer Khan, meanwhile, was pleased with the inclusion of young tearaway Umran Malik in the team. “Variety in pace attack is must. You need out-and-out pace bowler, swing bowler and a left-armer. Umran has been exciting talent, this kind of exposure will help him,” Zaheer said about Umran Malik.

“Umran is one of fastest in India. We saw in T20 World Cup 2022 how Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah rattled the batters. (Anrich) Nortje was one of highest wicket-takers as well. It is an opportunity for Umran and hopefully he’ll learn from this exposure,” Shastri added.

Former India all-rounder Shastri also agreed with VVS Laxman’s views that India need to identify specialists before the next T20 World Cup in 2024. “VVS is right with way forward, identifying T20 specialists, make India terrific fielding side. We need to identify fearless cricketers in T20 cricket,” he felt.

(Watch the India tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Prime Video from November 18 to 30)