If captain Rohit Sharma is absent on the opening day to play the first Test for India in their upcoming signature series against Australia, opener batsman Sunil Gavaskar on Monday suggested that Cricket Australia would be doing itself a tremendous service if they were to declare all-round bowler Jasprit Bumrah their permanent tour Down Under captain.
He feels that once Rohit is available he must make his presence felt on the field as a performer in this important test series only.
Rohit is to miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy's first game, scheduled to start in Perth on November 22, since his wife is due to give birth to the couple's second child.
He should join the team from the second match of the series.
However, Rohit doesn't know if that would happen or not.
Rohit has not seen the schedule yet.
With Rohit not being in Perth, the team might see Bumrah taking up the position of the captain.
"It is must for the skipper to feature in the first Test. If injured, it may make sense but if unavailable otherwise, then so much burden on the vice-captain," Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.
"I have read that Rohit Sharma wouldn't play the first two Tests of the Australia tour. Then the selection committee has to appoint Jasprit Bumrah captain of the side in the whole Australia tour. And then they have to take the message to Rohit Sharma that you are being sent as a player there. For the first test match, Rohit has to be there.
Rohit has been in terrible form of late as he has scored less than 100 runs in the three Tests against New Zealand at home.
The Indian team needs four wins from the five Tests in Australia to qualify for the World Test Championship Final.
Gavaskar said India cannot qualify for the WTC final from here.
"No, I don't. I actually don't. India cannot beat Australia 4-0 in the Test series. I'd be very, very I'd be over the moon. If they do that, I would be over the moon if they do that. But 4-0.".
"India can win 3-1, 4-0 is. don't talk about the World Test Championship final. Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia. Never mind whether you win 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 2-1. But go and win. Because that is how all of us Indian cricket fans are going to be back to feeling good again," Gavaskar said.
He was questioned if the clock is indeed ticking for Rohit and Virat Kohli. "It's ticking for everybody. It's not just them. But, because they are in their 30s, mid-30s, it will be tougher for them than the guys in the early 20s or early 30s.".
"But time waits for no one, says everybody. That is the reason I say the more you play, the better you will be in responding to the demands of today's cricket.".
"Totally understandable (focus on Kohli and Rohit failures). This is one of those rare series where both of them have not been able to score runs. Do not forget Kohli had got a 70 in the second innings in Bengaluru. It's just one of those rarities where both these stalwarts have not been able to make any contribution," he said.
He said everybody had a bad patch, and what comes out from there with the player will show how good he is.
"What we are going to see in Australia is really going to be interesting. What we are going to see in Australia will determine the future of the Test team.".
"Definitely yes. If they don't score runs in Australia, there will be a clamour for a new-look Indian team to start from the tour of England," he added.
When questioned about giving an opinion on the brief stint of Gautam Gambhir as the head coach, Gavaskar replied, "Numbers tell the story.".
"The results speak for themselves. Even in Sri Lanka, India lost an ODI series after a long time. And now here, it's a loss, it's a terrible loss. So, I think the results speak for themselves," he said.
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