Ex-Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath recently expressed his concerns regarding the leadership of the Indian Test cricket team. His comments came in the wake of India's innings defeat at Centurion, where he questioned the decision to not have Virat Kohli as the Test captain despite his impressive track record.
Highlighting Kohli’s achievements, Badrinath noted that Kohli has amassed over 5000 runs as a Test captain, boasting an average of more than 52. Additionally, Kohli's leadership record includes 40 victories and 17 losses in 68 Tests. A significant feather in Kohli’s cap, as mentioned by Badrinath, was leading India to a landmark Test series win in Australia.
"Kohli has a great record as a Test leader. He has scored more than 5000 runs with an average of 52-plus as a captain. He has 40 wins and 17 losses in 68 Tests. He led us to a tremendous victory in the Australia series. He has the most wins as Test captain after Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh," Subramaniam Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
In contrast, Badrinath showed concern over Rohit Sharma's role as an opener in Test matches, especially in overseas conditions. He pointed out Sharma's inconsistency when playing outside of India, suggesting that this could be a potential weakness in the team's strategy.
Badrinath advocated for Kohli's superior skills in Test cricket, questioning the rationale behind replacing him with Sharma as the captain of the Test team. He argued that Kohli's experience and proven success in the format should have been pivotal factors in considering the team's leadership.
"Why is he not the captain of the Test team? I want to raise this valid question. He is a better Test batter. There is no comparison between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He is a big player, in terms of Test cricket. He has scored runs everywhere. Why is he not leading and a weaker player… As far as I am concerned, a weaker player, who is not yet proven as an opener. He has been in and out. We can consider all that. But I think Rohit Sharma has not proven himself as an opener outside India. Why is he there?," Badrinath added.
His comments have sparked a debate about the leadership dynamics within the Indian Test cricket team and the criteria used to select the team's captain.
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