Rohit Sharma-led Team India is currently in Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series as well as a three-match Test series. Sharma has resumed captaincy duties after taking a break following India’s exit from T20 World Cup 2022. Many experts are in favour of split captaincy for Team India going forward.
former Indian cricketer Hemang Badani shared his views on the concept of split captaincy as well as split coaching for the Indian team going forward. Badani opined that with a hectic cricket schedule, there will come a time when Indian team management will have to consider both to manage the workload.
After India’s performance in T20 World Cup 2022, there have been plenty of talks around split captaincy and some have even suggested split coaching for Team India. What are your views?
Hemang Badani: I am of the opinion that both will happen in time for sure and it should happen. The skillset that a coach is required to have for different formats is not the same. The way you handle a T20 side to the way you handle and prepare for an ODI, or for Test format, is a lot different. I am all for that to happen in the future. Be it captaincy, be it coaching.
Virat Kohli rediscovered his form in Asia Cup 2022 and was in brilliant form in T20 World Cup 2022 as well. What did you think of his performance in T20 World Cup and do you think he can continue the same form across formats going forward?
Hemang Badani: From the way I see it is, for somebody like him who is so hungry, who has had less runs in the last three years to his expectations, he is going to try and catch up on time. He is going to try and ensure that he is in the middle all the time. I can sense the calmness around him and I can feel that he wants to be in the middle as much as he can.
Under Virat Kohi’s captaincy, Team India made a big impact in Tests. What would you want to see from Rohit Sharma, the captain, in Test cricket?
Hemang Badani: Rohit Sharma is tactically a good captain. I don’t have any issues with Rohit, as a strategist, as a tactician. Every captain has been different over the years from the time I played, from Dada to Dhoni to Virat taking over, everyone has their own way of handling a side. And everyone has had some success while handling the national side. Rohit is also similar. I know if’s a different format but in franchise cricket, you can argue by saying he always had a very good side but he always picked a good side, Mumbai always picked a good side. Everybody had a chance to pick a good squad but Mumbai always delivered with the players they chose and won the title five times. And no matter how good a side you have, for a side to win IPL titles so often, it has to do with captaincy. Rohit has done that and I know he is a good captain.
Ravi Shastri recently said he doesn’t think Team India coaching staff should take breaks frequently since they get a 2-month long break during the IPL. Do you agree with his statement?
Hemang Badani: What Ravi was trying to say was more from the point of view that the more you are with the side, the more you get to know the players, you understand the players, the pulse, what they are going through and to some extent it is valid with regards to what he is saying. The other side of the coin is that it’s practically impossible for any player or coach to sustain the gruesome cricketing schedule, it’s extremely long. It’s practically not going to happen going forward. I understand where he is coming from where he wants to say that the more time a coach spends with the player, you are able to understand him better, it’s a very valid point but going forward, it has to be split coaching where every now and then, you have a T20 coach coming into play or an ODI coach coming into play and then a coach for the longer format coming into play. That’s the future.
Brendon McCullum’s ‘Bazball’ approach in Test cricket has been a talking point given England’s success rate in the 7-8 Tests. Do you think India should adopt a similar approach and need to be more aggressive even in Test cricket?
Hemang Badani: Every side has a formula with the way they play. So I don’t think we need to copy-paste somebody else’s formula. To some extent, it makes sense to bat or play in a fashion in a way you mentioned. Maybe in the T20 format, yes. There is a little bit of gap from where we are and where the game is right now in that format, no doubt. But I don’t think in the five-day format, India need to adopt England’s approach. I think we have had a decent record in Test cricket, we were the finalists in the last World Test Championship (WTC). So I don’t see a reason why we need to change our approach in Tests.
What do you think of the Indian squad for the series against Bangladesh and for you, which would be the two Indian players to watch out for in the tournament.
Hemang Badani: I am hoping to see somebody like Rohit Sharma back in form. I would also like to see KL Rahul rediscover his form. I am also keen on seeing somebody like Washi (Washington Sundar) being given a break. Rahul Tripathi is someone who plays aggressive, I would like to see how he goes about his game if given a chance. We have seen some of these players. There is also Rajat Patidar in the side. Shahbaz Ahmed and Kuldeep Sen have also been picked. Give these guys a chance because you are still building your World Cup side.
I told this to somebody earlier, our faster bowlers are prone to injuries, Deepak Chahar is injured, Jasprit Bumrah is recovering from an injury, Shami has had issues with injuries, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also had issues in the past. Also, these pacers are on the other side of thirties, not Bumrah, but Bhuvi and Shami. When we come closer to the WC, we will have to see whether they are fit to play. Hence, you want to try out a few more bowlers like Kuldeep Sen and Mohammed Siraj to see if they are ready and whether they fit into what Team India has in mind.
