Not Hardik, or Bumrah! Virender Sehwag names this youngster to replace Rohit Sharma as India’s next T20I captain

With India's T20 World Cup title triumph still fresh in everyone's minds, cricket fans and experts are buzzing about who will lead the team in the T20I format going forward. Following Rohit Sharma's retirement along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, a spot has opened for a young leader to emerge. While some experts favor established names like Hardik Pandya or Jasprit Bumrah, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has thrown a curveball into the mix, suggesting a different candidate.

Sehwag backs Shubman Gill for captaincy

In a discussion on Cricbuzz, Sehwag surprised many by advocating for Shubman Gill as India's next T20I captain. Though Gill was a reserve player during the World Cup and didn't get any playing time, Sehwag seems impressed by Gill's overall performance across formats in 2023.

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“Shubman Gill will play all formats for India in the future. He had a brilliant year in 2023 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Although he wasn’t part of the World Cup-winning squad, I think it’s the right decision because he is the ideal choice for captaincy when Rohit retires,” Sehwag said.

Sehwag sees promise in Shubman Gill's leadership potential, suggesting him as a candidate to succeed Rohit Sharma in all formats. Sehwag highlights Gill's strong 2023 performance across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, despite not being part of the World Cup squad. He believes Gill is the ideal choice for captaincy once Rohit retires from longer formats, similar to how MS Dhoni was entrusted with the reins during a transitional phase in 2007.

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Gill captaincy debut didn't go well

However, Shubman Gill's captaincy debut didn't go well as young Team India came crashing down against 12-ranked Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare on July 6. Following their T20 World Cup title triumph, the young Indian side opted to field first after winning the toss, including three debutants. However, the Indian batting faltered, with eight batsmen scoring in single digits. They were eventually bowled out for 102 runs, chasing a modest target of 116 set by Zimbabwe. This marked Shubman Gill's first official captaincy role for India. At just 24, he previously impressed as captain of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, despite the team finishing 8th. His tactical decisions and bowling changes during his short stint were well-received.

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