Mahendra Singh Dhoni Should Stay Captain as Long as he Wants, Don't Rush Kohli: Gavaskar
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will miss the last two ODIs versus Sri Lanka and the first Test against Australia in Brisbane due to a thumb injury.
Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar said there was no need to rush Virat Kohli into full-time captaincy as long as Mahendra Singh Dhoni was willing to continue. The regular Team India captain, nursing a thumb injury, was rested for the last two ODIs against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Australia in Brisbane, leaving Kohli in charge for another month.
In Dhoni's absence, Kohli led India to an unbeatable 3-0 lead against the Lankans in the five-match ODI series. He will now fill in Down Under as India play a four-Test series against the Australian starting December 4. But Gavaskar urged the media to stop pressuring Kohli by branding him as India's next captain. (Kohli to Lead India in Last 2 ODIs vs Sri Lanka)
"We should not be in such a rush to promote Kohli as captain. As long as Dhoni wants to do the job, let him do it. Let us not put any pressure on either Virat or Mahi by suggesting such things (that this is Kohli's test as captain)," Gavaskar told NDTV on Monday. (In Dhoni's Absence, Saha & Ojha Vie for Wicketkeeping Slots)
"This is an opportunity for Virat but you don't want to judge anyone after just one match. Virat will have his time but till then every match he plays as vice-captain will be of great importance to him. As deputy, you also have to think of field placements, bowling changes and tactics and everything he learns in this phase will be handy." (Lokesh Rahul's India Call-Up Marks Start of New Era)
Gavaskar also played down concerns that Dhoni may not recover in time for the second Test in Australia, which starts in Adelaide four days after the opening match gets over.
"Dhoni maybe fit in time for Brisbane but he would not have had any match practice. And he would not want to take a risk (of going into a Test underprepared) . We should not worry too much about this. If someone like Dhoni is not fit, he will tell the Board that he's not fit. He won't go on a tour just because he likes going on tours," Gavaskar said.