Discussions about the Indian cricket team are hot these days who will lead the Test team in future. Meanwhile, former cricketer and commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has made an important suggestion. He believes that if Shubman Gill is made the next captain of the Test team, he should not hide in the batting order, but should send him to the opening position or number 3 so that he can fully fulfill the responsibility of leadership.
Sidhu said, “If you make Gill a captain in Test cricket, play him at opener or number 3. Then do not give him a safety shield. He will have to lead him from the front like Virat Kohli, not to try to save them by sending them to number 4.”
This statement comes at a time when there are discussions of Virat Kohli’s break or possible retirement from Test cricket. In case of Kohli being out of the Test team, the number 4 position will be emptied, which is considered very important in Indian cricket. This is the same place where Sachin Tendulkar and then Virat Kohli have played the role of the team’s backbone for years.
Sidhu said that to play at number 4, there is a need for a player who can bat for a long time and remove the team from the crisis. He suggested the names of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer for this position. According to him, these two players are technically strong and can score runs under difficult conditions.
Sidhu’s statement indicates that the selectors and the coaching team should consider his mental and technical side before making Gill a captain amidst speculation of Gautam Gambhir’s coaching setup.
The Indian Test team is going through a change and in such a situation it is not enough to give young players just a chance, giving them the right role and trusting them.