As Rohit Sharma, the “Hitman”, moves closer to the end of his career, one question is starting to come up more and more among Indian cricket fans: who will take over as captain?
Following in the footsteps of players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Kapil Dev would be a huge task for anyone. There are already a few obvious candidates to replace Rohit, but I want to look a little further ahead at some of the younger players who could eventually lead the next generation of Indian cricket.
Shubman Gill
A huge talent and often called the prince of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill has had a year to remember.
He is one of those batters who still seems to enjoy playing proper cricket shots, which is becoming slightly less common among younger players. His technique is incredibly smooth, and when he is in form, he makes batting look almost effortless. After winning the Orange Cap in the 2023 IPL and ending the year with seven international centuries and ten fifties, Gill has clearly shown that he is more than just a promising youngster.
He has been compared to Virat Kohli ever since making his international debut, which brings a huge amount of pressure. So far, though, he has handled it fairly well. He also has some leadership experience, having been vice-captain of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning team in 2018.
Recently, Hardik Pandya made headlines when he left Gujarat Titans, the team he had captained to the IPL title in 2022, to return to Mumbai Indians. Gujarat then announced Gill as their new captain.
This will probably be the biggest test of his leadership so far. Gujarat reached the final in both of their first two IPL seasons, so Gill is taking over a successful team with very high expectations. If he handles the pressure well and keeps Gujarat near the top of the table, he could quickly become the clear favourite to captain India in the future.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Next is Yashasvi Jaiswal.
From moving to Mumbai at a young age, sleeping in tents and selling pani puri for extra money, to becoming one of India’s most exciting young players, Jaiswal has already come an incredibly long way.
He first gained major attention during the Under-19 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 400 runs in just six matches. His performances in the IPL then earned him a place in the Indian team.
Jaiswal made an immediate impact in Test cricket, scoring 171 on debut against the West Indies. He has also impressed in T20 internationals, where his fearless and aggressive batting has made him a strong option at the top of the order.
However, that same aggression can sometimes get him into trouble. There are moments when he gives his wicket away by attacking too early, even when the pitch or match situation calls for more patience. His decision-making between the wickets has also occasionally been questionable, with moments where he seems too focused on the ball rather than communicating with his partner.
These are not huge problems, especially for such a young player, but they are important when discussing captaincy. A captain needs to stay calm, read the situation and think about the whole team rather than only their own innings.
If Jaiswal can become more patient and improve his decision-making, he could eventually develop into a real captaincy option.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Finally, Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Gaikwad was not really seen as a major international prospect until his brilliant 2021 IPL season for Chennai Super Kings, where he scored 635 runs and won the Orange Cap.
After that season, the Indian selectors gave him opportunities in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. He failed to make a major impact, scoring only 21 and 14, and struggled to secure a regular place in the team.
More recently, however, he has started to show what he is capable of. His unbeaten 123 from 57 balls against Australia was one of his best performances for India and showed that he can score quickly without looking out of control.
His biggest issue is probably competition. India has no shortage of talented opening batters, and Gaikwad has not yet done enough to make himself undroppable. Until he becomes a regular member of the team, it will be difficult for him to seriously challenge for the captaincy.
That said, he does seem to have the right temperament. He is calm at the crease, rarely seems affected by pressure and has spent years playing alongside MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings. That experience could prove valuable if he is given more leadership opportunities in the future.
The strongest option
Out of the three, Shubman Gill clearly seems to be the strongest candidate at the moment.
Jaiswal may be the most explosive, while Gaikwad seems to have the calmness needed for leadership. However, Gill is the only one who has already been trusted with such a major captaincy role.
Being named captain of Gujarat Titans does not automatically mean that he will become India’s next captain. He still needs to prove that he can make good decisions under pressure, manage his players and continue performing with the bat while dealing with the extra responsibility.
Still, Gill has the clearest path. He is already an important part of the Indian team, has some previous leadership experience and now has the chance to captain one of the strongest sides in the IPL.
A lot can change over the next few years, and another player could easily emerge. But right now, if India is looking for a young player who could eventually take over from Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill looks like the best choice.