'Rohit, Kohli Integral Part Of Team': Ganguly Backs Senior Duo For T20 World Cup 2024
Sourav Ganguly believes that with another World Cup approaching in seven months, Rohit should continue leading the Indian team.
Sourav Ganguly recently voiced support for Rohit Sharma as India's captain until the T20 World Cup 2024, emphasising Rohit's leadership qualities and his successful tenure. Ganguly praised Rohit's leadership, citing his record of 39 wins in 51 matches as India's T20I skipper. Despite India's loss in the recent World Cup Final against Australia, Ganguly emphasised Rohit's exceptional leadership, highlighting his consecutive victories in 10 matches during the tournament. Ganguly believes that with another World Cup approaching in seven months, Rohit should continue leading the Indian team.
He expressed confidence in Rohit's capabilities, stating, "Once Rohit is back playing all formats, he should be the captain of India, because he has done so well in the World Cup," said the former BCCI president. "He's (Rohit) a leader. I expect and I presume that he will continue as captain till the T20 World Cup in 2024," Ganguly said at an event as quoted by news agency PTI.
Regarding the uncertainty surrounding Rohit and Kohli's inclusion for the upcoming T20 global event, Ganguly highlighted the uniqueness of World Cups compared to bilateral series due to distinct pressures. He hoped that both players would reclaim their form ahead of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
"You saw in the World Cup how well they played. They are absolutely integral and an important part of Indian cricket. World Cups are different than a bilateral series because the pressures are different. They have been exceptional this World Cup and hopefully six-seven months down the line in the West Indies they will be again at their best," he stated.
Ganguly acknowledged the significance of Rohit and Kohli's rest, highlighting the necessity for them to return "fresh" given the demanding cricket schedule. He emphasised their pivotal roles in Indian cricket, especially after their commendable performance in the World Cup.
"They will come back fresh for Tests -- there are five Tests against England -- there's IPL, and then the T20 World Cup, so it's non-stop cricket. Hopefully they'll come back fresh and keep performing. Very rightfully, they have taken a break because there is so much cricket all the time. I cannot imagine that you played a World Cup final on the 19th and in three days' time you're playing a T20I series against the same team," Ganguly said.
Ganguly also praised Rahul Dravid's extension as India's head coach until at least the T20 World Cup. He commended Dravid's coaching tenure, expressing hopes for a championship victory in the upcoming World Cup.
'He Will Not Be Runners-Up, But A Champion': Ganguly On Rahul Dravid
"I'm not surprised that they have shown faith in Dravid. When I was president of the Board, we convinced him to do this job. And I'm so happy to see yesterday that his tenure has been extended. It was always the case, depending on whether he wanted it or not. I wish him luck for another World Cup in June. He was very close this time. They may not have won it, but they probably were the best team in the competition with the way they played. So he's got another seven months for a World Cup in the West Indies. Hopefully, at that time, he will not be runners-up, but a champion," he said.
Ganguly acknowledged India's struggle to clinch ICC titles, drawing from his personal experience as a captain who reached finals but faced defeats. He remained optimistic about India's prospects, hoping they would overcome this hurdle eventually. Regarding the exclusion of Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane from the South Africa Test series, Ganguly emphasised the inevitability of introducing new talent into the team, expressing gratitude for Pujara and Rahane's contributions while acknowledging the way evolution takes place in the sport.
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