Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin feels the Indian team is in for testing times ahead after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from Test cricket in a span of one week.
Speaking on the latest episode of Ash ki baat on YouTube, he said, “We were in the middle of the – game when Rohit announced his retirement, and then today, Virat as well. I’ve been hearing the news of Virat’s supposed retirement for the last two days, but they (BCCI) must’ve spoken with him as well; that’s a personal conversation I would obviously not bring out here.”
“I had no idea that both of them would retire all of a sudden, as it would be testing times for the Indian cricket team,” he added.
Ashwin also called for the new era under coach . After taking over the coaching reins from , Gambhir had to endure a white-ball series loss in Sri Lanka, a whitewash against New Zealand in Test matches at home and a crushing defeat at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
A veteran of 106 Tests, Ashwin also backed ace pacer for the captaincy role.
“I would definitely say it is the beginning of the Gautam Gambhir era. The team that Gambhir will take to England for five Tests will be a completely new team, a completely transformed team where Jasprit Bumrah would possibly be the senior-most player,” he said.
“Obviously, he is also an option for captaincy (role). I believe he deserves the captaincy, but the Indian selectors will take a decision based on his physical capacity,” added Ashwin.
It has been of the Test team. According to the same report, it is understood that the senior selection committee, headed by former India all-rounder Ajit Agarkar, is of the opinion that 25-year-old Gill is the ideal candidate to take over as Test captain. However, the selectors will discuss the same with the BCCI before making a formal announcement. If appointed as Test skipper, Gill’s first assignment will be the five-match Test series in England.
Earlier, it was reported how India’s fast bowling figurehead and vice-captain Bumrah is unlikely to be given a leadership role on the Test tour to England starting June-end. The star fast bowler had captained India to its only Test match win during the Australia tour at the turn of the year, apart from leading in two other Tests. But since Bumrah is unlikely to feature in all five Tests in England, as part of his workload management, the selectors had to look at another option.
