Life After Kohli, Rohit

For at least a couple of years, the Indian cricket men’s team has been described as one in transition.

Today, it transitioned.

Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement only a few days ago, and now Virat Kohli too is gone. In the span of mere days, the batting heartbeat of the Indian team for over a decade, a cumulative experience that stretched nearly 200 Test matches, over 13,500 runs, and 42 Test centuries, were gone. And if you consider R Aswhin too in this mix, as you should, you can add another 106 matches and 537 wickets, and, not to forget, over 3,500 runs and six centuries. Their worth in the dressing room goes well beyond these statistics. For over a decade, they shaped the team and made it a world-beating side.

Now they are gone. And the Indian team, from having to find a new captain and opener, and a lead spinner, is now also suddenly in search of its new No. 4. Rarely have these many spots opened up so suddenly in the Indian team in over a decade.

Transitions of course are rarely if ever smooth. India went through one just a little over a decade ago when the core batting core of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag, all retired within the span of a year or so. There were anxieties then too, but very capable replacements found their grove almost immediately. For every Dravid, there was a Cheteshwar Pujara; for a Sehwag, a Shikhar Dhawan, and more. Virat Kohli had all but laid claims to No 4 on the batting sheet once Tendulkar called time on his career, with his exploits just a notch below in the order.

This transition, however, which will begin with the challenging tour to England next month, come with comparatively many more questions, and not that many easy answers have shown themselves.

The least thorny is that of the lead spinner. India has tended to prefer an allrounder spinner – R Jadeja being the most favoured choice – to Ashwin in foreign conditions, and it will probably stick to this template in England too. Jadeja is one of the few individuals from the era that is passing by who has so far survived. But he too may not be around that long. He didn’t start the series in Australia, and there seem to be more than capable replacements already in Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. The question over who will perform Ashwin’s role as the lead spinner in Indian conditions will have to be answered only in October, when West Indies comes visiting, and it is probable that Indian will then look to give some of these spinners a longer run in this format.

But the more pressing questions are those of who opens the batting along with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who bats at No 4, and who captains the side. The two with the best chances of getting the job of captain are seen to be Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah. Of all the younger players, Gill is seen to be the safest bet. In current standing, he will make it to the starting 11 of both the Test and ODI squads (not necessarily so in T20Is); is seen globally as among the most promising younger batsmen; and has been impressive as a captain in the IPL. But his batting performances outside the subcontinent haven’t so far been extraordinary. And a batting average a shade over 35 in 32 matches has belied more than delivered. Bumrah by comparison is India’s greatest match-winner. He will be penciled in as the first name in any format. And the selectors would have also given him the job with little thought had there not been concerns over his fitness and availability in all matches.
Then there is now the question of personnel. Before Kohli’s announcement, Rahul, it was expected, would get a longer rope as opener in place of Sharma. Now, as one of the most experienced batters, do move him down to No 4? Or do you get Gill, who many experts once saw as a future No 4 after Kohli, to perform that role? Or do you bump Pant up the order? Or do you bring back Shreyas Iyer? And then there is the option of picking one of the many promising domestic players trying to get a longer look in and have them play in one of the middle order slots. Karun Nair (India’s only triple-centurion after Virender Sehwag and someone who has been scoring heavily in the domestic circuit) anyone?

There are multiple options and combinations, and really not that many easy answers. These selection calls will all involve some clear objective analysis and a lot of old-fashioned hunch.

Earlier this year, when Sharma had agreed to sit out of the fourth Test match, he was asked about the readiness of anyone from the next generation to become captain. The team had begun to cop a lot of heat for their performances then, and there were even reports of unrest in the dressing room. Sharma sounded protective of the younger players, but there also a fair share of straight talk. “It is difficult to say. There are many boys. But I want them to understand the importance of cricket first… I know they should be given responsibility. But let them earn it… I am here now. Bumrah is here. Virat was here before him. MS Dhoni was here before him. Everyone has earned it. <Kisi ne humko plate pe saja ke nahi dia> (nobody gave it to us on a plate). No one should get it like this. Let them work hard. There is a lot of talent in the boys. But at the same time, I also want to say that it is not easy to become the captain of India. There is pressure. But it is a great honour. Our history and the way we play cricket has a great responsibility on both shoulders. So let them earn it,” he said.

It sounded like the words of an elder brother. There were words of encouragement, but even a fair share of reprimand. It sounded like he was saying the next generation hadn’t yet earned it.

Ready or not, the team will now have to figure it out for themselves.

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