Next Captain of Team India: A Look at the Strong Contenders Post Rohit Sharma Era

Team India: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may soon announce the name of the next coach of Team India. It is almost certain that Gautam Gambhir will be appointed as the head coach. The contract that Gautam Gambhir will sign with the BCCI will continue till the 2027 ODI World Cup. Gautam Gambhir’s arrival will mark the beginning of a new era in Team India. Gautam Gambhir will aim to prepare a new captain for India who will lead Team India in the T20 World Cup 2026 and ODI World Cup 2027. It will not be possible for 37-year-old Rohit Sharma to captain Team India for a long time. Three players have the power to replace Rohit Sharma as captain in ODI and T20 formats. Let’s take a look at 3 such players:  

1. Rishabh Pant 

Rishabh Pant is an excellent wicketkeeper and a brilliant batsman. Rishabh Pant has a smart mind. Rishabh Pant has all the qualities to become a captain. Rishabh Pant has done a great job while captaining Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Rishabh Pant is very smart in learning. There is a spark in Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, which can become a blazing fire in future. Rishabh Pant also has the same strength as MS Dhoni. A wicketkeeper understands the game more than any player on the field, so Rishabh Pant can also prove to be successful in captaincy like MS Dhoni.

2. Hardik Pandya 

All-rounder Hardik Pandya also has the power to replace Rohit Sharma as ODI and T20 captain. Hardik Pandya’s captaincy reflects Kapil Dev’s style. In his captaincy debut season, Hardik Pandya led Gujarat Titans to win the IPL 2022 title. Hardik Pandya plays with patience while batting and he also has the talent to bowl at a consistent speed of 140 kmph. Hardik Pandya has all the qualities to become a captain. Hardik Pandya can be made the next captain of India after Rohit Sharma.  

3. Shreyas Iyer 

Shreyas Iyer is a big contender to become India’s ODI and T20 captain. Shreyas Iyer can also change the fortunes of Team India if he gets the captaincy. Team India needs a fearless batsman and smart captain like Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas Iyer will bring aggression in his captaincy like his batting, which will benefit Team India tremendously. Shreyas Iyer is the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL. Under his captaincy, Shreyas Iyer has also won the IPL 2024 trophy for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Shreyas Iyer also has experience of working with Gautam Gambhir.