‘Both of them always come across as mature’: Parthiv Patel on why Shubman Gill won’t face any issue leading Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli in AUS series

1 week ago 11
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Shubman Gill Virat kohli Rohit SharmaShubman Gill with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. (Sportzpics)

Former India player and current Gujarat Titans batting coach Parthiv Patel has seen India skipper Shubman Gill from up close and said that the 25-year-old will not have any issues leading the two veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the upcoming Australia tour due to both of them being rather flexible individuals.

“I don’t think that it will be problem because of the kind of characters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are. You look at Virat, he became captain when MS Dhoni was still playing. He knows what role a senior plays in grooming a new captain,” he said in an interview with PTI.

“Same thing was there when Rohit became the captain. Yes, Virat wasn’t his senior but nevertheless a former skipper. Obviously, they have gone through that phase and understand the decision, which is about betterment of Indian cricket, both of them always come across as mature. I don’t think Shubman needs to put in his energies behind managing those senior players,” he added.

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Gill was selected as the ODI captain ahead of the Australia series, replacing Rohit with the Indian selectors looking at the 2027 World Cup.

Patel wants Ro-Ko to play Vijay Hazare games

Patel said that one of the main challenges the two seasoned competitors will face was how to stay fit for the 2027 World Cup which is almost 2 years away. Before that India will be playing the T20 World Cup but the two stalwarts have already retired from the shortest format after the 2024 World Cup. they have also hung up their boots from Tests as well.

Patel feels that if the duo plans to play Vijay Hazare games in between the South Africa and New Zealand ODIs, it will only help them stay in the groove.

“Two years is a long time and especially if you see there aren’t too many ODI games. Like earlier times when there used to be 20-25 games a year, you get on a roll and before you know two years passed by.
“But it is a different challenge and we are also new to this kind of a challenge. The challenge is to keep themselves match-fit,” he said.

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“I would definitely feel that they should play Vijay Hazare Trophy. It is not about setting an example like ‘We have made Kohli and Rohit play Vijay Hazare’. That’s not how I would like to think. Playing Hazare Trophy will help their own game and that in turn will help the Indian cricket team,” he added.

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