Sunil Gavaskar picks 3 contenders for Team India’s next captain

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The Indian cricket team is on the brink of a new chapter in its Test journey following Rohit Sharma‘s retirement from the longest format of the game on May 7. As the two-time WTC finalists prepare to face England in a much-anticipated Test series starting June 20 at Headingley, the question on everyone’s mind is: Who will lead the side?

Legendary batter and former captain Sunil Gavaskar has offered his perspective on the future of Indian Test leadership. In a recent interaction with PTI during the Star Sports Press Room, Gavaskar shortlisted three promising names as potential candidates for the role.

In his analysis of India’s leadership future, Gavaskar identified Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant as the three most promising candidates to take over the Test captaincy. He highlighted that each of them brings a distinct quality to the table. Gavaskar reckoned this trio reflects a blend of qualities seen in former captains like MS Dhoni, Rohit, and Virat Kohli, making them strong contenders to lead India in the coming years.

According to Gavaskar, while all three young stars exhibit leadership capabilities, Gill stands out due to his proactive approach and competitive spirit on the field.

“When you see Gill, Iyer and Pant, three main pretenders to Indian captaincy you see an amalgamation of all three (Dhoni, Rohit, Virat). Gill probably is more competitive, when there is a decision, he is asking the umpire right away. He is probably a lot more involved,” Gavaskar said.

“Though Pant is behind the stumps, he is also very involved. Iyer too has been superb. All three have brought a lot of positivity in the way they have been captaining,” added Gavaskar.

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Gavaskar emphasized that developing a strong and impactful leader for the Indian Test team is a gradual process and cannot be achieved overnight. He noted that top-level captaincy demands experience, maturity, and a deep understanding of the game—qualities that are cultivated over time. He stated that grooming the next generation of leaders will take time, as reaching the stature of iconic captains like Dhoni, Rohit, and Kohli—each of whom brought their own unique style and approach to leadership—won’t happen overnight.

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