‘I feel he will be a good captain:’ Aakash Chopra picks player who can succeed Virat Kohli as next India skipper
IPL 2020: Chopra feels the promising batsman can be the man to lead India post Virat Kohli’s captaincy, with the IPL certain to test his leadership skills.
Former India opening batsman Aakash Chopra believes KL Rahul could be the ideal successor to Virat Kohli as the captain of the Indian team but for that it will be important to see how the batsman performs as captain of Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020.
Also Follow | IPL 2020 Full Coverage
With previous year’s captain R Ashwin traded to Delhi Capitals, Rahul has been appointed the man in charge, and the coming season will prove whether he has what it takes to be the captain of the Indian team when the time comes.
Also Read | Are Mumbai Indians ready for an encore?
“I have hope that his captaincy will be good. Actually, we will get an idea of his captaincy, how he runs the game, what strategies he uses. If we see Kohli and Rohit, they are of the same age bracket and at one time you may feel that they are not captain material anymore,” Chopra said while responding to fan questions in a video shared on his Facebook page.
Also Read | Trent Boult explains the biggest challenge of playing IPL in UAE
India resort to Rohit Sharma as Kohli’s replacement whenever the captain is out injured or offered a break. But it cannot be the solution going forward. Indian cricket has over the years groomed its next captain in line – like MS Dhoni did with Virat Kohli. Surprisingly, with so many chop and changes, not too many options come to mind when you think of the next in line. Chopra feels Rahul, 28, might be the man to lead India post Kohli’s captaincy, with the IPL certain to test his leadership skills.
“As they say, a time comes when you have to pass on the baton like MS Dhoni did to Kohli and Kohli will also have to do to someone at some point. When he does that, it is possible that Rahul will be next in line,” Chopra said.
“So, this IPL will show us how KL Rahul will be like a captain but I feel, the manner in which I have seen him play and his temperament, I feel he will be a good captain.”
Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Score, PBKS vs MI Live Score and get exclusive insights with the IPL Match Today, IPL Points Table match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and IPL Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.