After their defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, the Indian cricket team is gearing up for their next challenge. Their upcoming red ball cricket series against the West Indies, comprising a 2-match Test series along with white-ball cricket, poses a tough task. Recent reports suggest that senior players such as Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav might not be part of the IND vs WI series.
As KL Rahul continues his recovery from a thigh surgery, his return to the cricket field remains uncertain. However, it is now clear that he is no longer in the running for a leadership role. This raises the question of whether Rohit Sharma, given his current form and fitness, will continue to play Test cricket for another two years and complete the upcoming cycle, even when he will be nearing 38 years old. This intriguing question is currently worth a million dollars.
Another question that arises is who would be the better choice as vice-captain in the next year, especially if Cheteshwar Pujara is phased out. Considering that the West Indies is a relatively weaker Test team, it could be an opportunity to ease a young player into the role.
“The dilemma lies in giving the West Indies Test series to Pujara. If he performs well, then we have to persist with him for another year since there are no Test matches scheduled until December. So, do we go down that path or immediately introduce a young player and groom him for bigger challenges?” pondered the former selector.
