became emotionless after India’s defeat in the final Virat Kohli Looking as emotionless as him before going to collect the runner-up medal Shubhman Gill Shake hands with and hug them. This was the most poignant moment of the tearful Sunday night for the Indian cricket team. After India not winning the third World Cup, it was also a clear signal of handing over the responsibility of Indian cricket to the next generation. Players like Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami will remain for some time but the responsibility of taking Indian cricket forward will now be on the shoulders of the young generation.
Keep an eye on Pant’s fitness
These players include Gill (24 years), Shreyas Iyer (28), Ishan Kishan (25), Ruturaj Gaikwad (26), Yashasvi Jaiswal (21) and Rishabh Pant (26), who is recovering from injury, whose first test will be next year. Will take place in the upcoming T20 World Cup. These players have enough experience of playing at the top level and have proved their talent on many occasions. But carrying forward the legacy of players like Kohli and Rohit will not be an easy task.
Who will be the next captain?
In the last one and a half decade, these players have made their special place in world cricket and have shown their skill, durability and mental toughness brilliantly. He has also handled the additional burden of captaincy well. In such a situation, who will be the future captain for India? Former Indian batsman Robin Uthappa believes that Shreyas Iyer is the most fit player for this role.
Advocating making Shreyas Iyer the captain
Uthappa said on his YouTube channel, ‘Shreyas Iyer has presented a wonderful example of his dedication and confidence. He has left his special mark especially on number four. If he continues his good performance then no one will be surprised if he is given the captaincy, especially of the limited overs team. Apart from the T20 World Cup to be held next year, India has to participate in the Champions Trophy in 2025, T20 World Cup in 2026 and 50-over World Cup in 2027 in the current international cycle (from 2023 to 2027).
Jaiswal and Gaikwad may be part of the plan
In such a situation, India will have to move forward with great caution to prepare the team of the future. A former selector told PTI, ‘This is correct. India may not get the services of its big players for long. Therefore, the people concerned will have to plan in advance for the next three or four years and give continuous opportunities to players like Jaiswal and Gaikwad so that they are mentally prepared for big tournaments.