Ravi Shastri backs Rohit Sharma to succeed Virat Kohli as India's T20 captain

Tenures of captain and coach ended with a win against Namibia but exit from T20 World Cup

Virat Kohli, second right, captained the India T20 side for the final time on Monday with a win over Namibia. Teammate Rohit Sharma, right, is tipped to replace him. AFP

Ravi Shastri has endorsed Rohit Sharma to take over the captaincy of the India T20 side from Virat Kohli.

Kohli oversaw his last game in charge in the format as India beat Namibia in the T20 World Cup in Dubai on Monday night.

Shastri also ended his own tenure as coach of the side after the game, after four-and-a-half years in charge. He believes India have a ready-made replacement for Kohli.

“In Rohit, you have a very capable guy,” said Shastri, who will be succeeded by Rahul Dravid.

“He has won so many IPLs, he is vice captain of this side. He is ready in the wings to take that job.”

Kohli will stay on in the role of captain of India’s Test and one-day international teams, and Shastri insists the split leadership model can work.

“I think it is not such a bad thing,” Shastri said.

“Because of the bubble, and because of how much cricket is being played, the players need to be rotated and given the space they need to spend some time with their families and see their parents.

“When a guy does not go home for six months, he might have his family with him, but he won’t get chance to see his parents. It is not easy at all.”

Kohli bows out of captaincy with a win

India captain Virat Kohli embraces Namibia's David Wiese after India win the T20 World Cup match in Dubai on Monday, November 8, 2021. AP

India batsmen Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul, second right, greet Namibia players after the match in Dubai. AP

Virat Kohli shakes hands with Suryakumar Yadav after the match. Reuters

Virat Kohli shakes hands with Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus after India's victory. AFP

Suryakumar Yadav bats during the T20 World Cup match between India and Namibia. AP

KL Rahul raises his bat after scoring a half-century against Namibia. AFP

KL Rahul plays a shot during India's T20 World Cup match against Namibia. Getty Images

KL Rahul plays a shot against Namibia in Dubai. Reuters

Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot next to Namibia wicketkeeper Zane Green. AFP

KL Rahul plays a shot against Namibia. Getty Images

Namibia's Michael Van Lingen watches the ball run down the field. AP

Namibia bowler Jan Frylinck celebrates the wicket of Rohit Sharma. Getty

India fans cheers on their team from the stands. Reuters

India fans cheer on the team and wave giant flags in the stands. Getty Images

India's Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul run between the wickets. AFP

Namibia's David Wiese bats against India. AFP

India's Jasprit Bumrah in the field during the Namibia innings. Getty Images

Namibia's Jan Frylinck avoids a bouncer against India. AFP

India's players celebrate after the dismissal of Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton. AFP

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja celebrate after the dismissal of Namibia's Stephan Baard. AFP

In the aftermath of a disappointing campaign, which saw them miss out on the knockout phase to Pakistan and New Zealand, Shastri cited bubble fatigue as the reason for India’s underperformance.

“This is not an excuse, this is a fact: there are a lot of players in this team who play all three formats of the game,” Shastri said.

“In the last 24 months, they have been home for 25 days. I don’t care who you are – if your name is Bradman – if you are in a bubble as well your average will come down because you are human.

“It is not the case that you put petrol in the backside and expect the guy to move on in overdrive.

“These are tough times. That’s why I say in life, it’s not what you accomplish, it’s what you overcome. That’s what this team has done.”

The outgoing coach predicted he might be commentating by the time the next T20 World Cup happens next year, and he believes India will be a threat at that competition in Australia.

“We lacked daring in the second game against New Zealand,” he said.

“It is something for the boys to learn, and they will get an opportunity again next year. It is not often you have World Cups within 12 months, so hopefully they will go and kick some butt there.”

New Zealand beat India by 8 wickets

India's captain Virat Kohli greets New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson defeat in the T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday, October 31, 2021. AP

New Zealand crushed India at the T20 World Cup on Sunday. AFP

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell top-scored for his team in Dubai. AFP

New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson plays a late cut. AFP

New Zealand's Ish Sodhi picked up two wickets at the Dubai International Stadium. AFP

New Zealand's Adam Milne celebrates with Tim Southee after taking the wicket of India's Rishabh Pan. AFP

New Zealand's Martin Guptill takes the catch of India's Shardul Thakur. AP

Virat Kohli of India is caught out by Trent Boult as Devon Conway of New Zealand looks on. Getty

New Zealand players congratulate Ish Sodhi, center, after dismissing India's captain Virat Kohli. AP

Trent Boult of New Zealand celebrates the wicket of Hardik Pandya. Getty