IPL 2020: Calls grow for Rohit Sharma to replace Virat Kohli as India's T20 captain

Rohit led Mumbai to a fifth title in 13 editions of the Twenty20 tournament while Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore came up short again

Virat Kohli, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, after the defeat to Sunrisers that ended their IPL 2020 campaign. Sportzpics for BCCI

Kane Williamson and Jason Holder of Sunrisers Hyderabad celebrate their victory over Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Sportzpics for BCCI

Kane Williamson of Sunrisers Hyderabad plays a shot against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Sportzpics for BCCI

David Warner, captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, plays a shot. Sportzpics for BCCI

Jason Holder of Sunrisers Hyderabad in action. Sportzpics for BCCI

Mohammed Siraj of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates the wicket of David Warner. Sportzpics for BCCI

India captain Virat Kohli is facing growing calls for him to hand over some of his duties to Rohit Sharma after the latter guided Mumbai Indians to another IPL title on Tuesday.

Rohit led Mumbai to a fifth title in 13 editions of the Twenty20 tournament, held this year exclusively in the UAE amid the growing cases of Covid-19 back home.

Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore again came up short, prompting calls for Rohit to take over the captaincy of the national T20 side.

India leave for Australia this week to begin a two-week coronavirus quarantine before playing three T20s, three one-day internationals and four Tests.

Following the IPL final, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan called for Rohit to be given the India T20 armband.

"Rohit has won five IPL titles; he is the most successful captain in the history of the tournament," Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo.

"Going forward, it'll be a shame if he doesn't get India's white-ball [limited overs] or just T20 captaincy."

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Mumbai beat Delhi to win IPL 2020

Mumbai Indians won the IPL title for the fifth time after defeating Delhi Capitals by five wickets in Dubai in 2020.

Mumbai Indians with the 2020 IPL trophy in Dubai on Tuesday.

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma celebrates the win in the final against Delhi Capitals.

Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma powered Mumbai Indians to a comfortable win over Delhi Capitals in the IPL final in Dubai on Tuesday.

Rohit Sharma hit a match-winning fifty for Mumbai Indians in the final against Delhi Capitals.

Ishan Kishan has been a revelation for Mumbai Indians.

Jayant Yadav of Mumbai Indians celebrates the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan of Delhi Capitals.

Trent Boult gave Mumbai Indians an electric start with the ball against Delhi Capitals in the final in Dubai on Tuesday.

Nita Ambani, co- owner of Mumbai Indians, cheers her team in Dubai.

Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals scored a fifty on Tuesday.

Marcus Stoinis of Delhi Capitals celebrates the wicket of Quinton de Kock.

Shikhar Dhawan of Delhi Capitals is bowled by Jayant Yadav.

Shreyas Iyer, captain of Delhi Capitals, celebrates his fifty.

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Rohit has transformed Mumbai since taking over the captaincy from Australian great Ricky Ponting in 2013, and all five of their titles have come under his leadership.

Kohli's Bangalore bowed out of this season's tournament in the playoffs, and that after two bottom-placed finishes in the previous three editions.

Vaughan also backed Rohit to become India's T20 leader.

"Without question Rohit Sharma should be the Indian T20 captain," he wrote on Twitter, describing him as a "fantastic man manager and leader".

"He knows exactly how to win T20 games. It would also give Virat a chance to take a breather and just be the player."

Vaughan said relieving Kohli of the captaincy was not "an admittance of failure", but rather "what is best for the Indian cricket team".

Rohit is not included in India's one-day and T20 teams for Australia as he is recovering from a hamstring injury that saw him a miss several IPL games.

The 33-year-old will be part of the four Tests, however, while Kohli will miss three of them as he is taking paternity leave after the opening match in Adelaide.

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IPL 2020 team of the tournament

1. KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab, 670 runs at 55.83, strike rate 129.34) Set the tournament ablaze with its first century, and was a model of consistency at the top of the order. He also led his side in a late season revival that almost ended with a playoff place. Sportzpics for BCCI

2. Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals, 618 runs at 44.14, strike rate 144.73) Made history by becoming the first batsman to score back-to-back centuries in the IPL. He had his troubles, too, with four ducks, but only Rahul managed more than his haul of runs. Sportzpics for BCCI

3. Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians, 480 runs at 40, strike rate 145.01) Craving recognition, after he again missed out on India selection. Ravi Shastri told him to keep fighting on, while Michael Vaughan termed him one of the best players of spin in the world. Sportzpics for BCCI

4. Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians, 516 at 57.33, strike rate 145.76) Few would have predicted he would end the season as Mumbai’s leading run-getter, ahead of Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, and the rest. He was not even in the side at the start of the campaign. Sportzpics for BCCI

5. Rahul Tewatia (Rajasthan Royals, 255 runs at 42.5, strike rate 139.34, 10 wickets, economy rate 7.08) For all the great cricket played in this tournament, much of it will be forgotten in the mist of time. Tewatia’s mercurial innings to beat Punjab in Sharjah will live long in the memory, though. Sportzpics for BCCI

6. Washington Sundar (Royal Challengers Bangalore, 8 wickets, economy rate 5.96) Only the remarkable Rashid Khan was more thrifty with the ball, and Sundar did much of his best work during the powerplay overs. The 21-year-old off-spinner was arguably RCB’s most reliable performer. Sportzpics for BCCI

7. Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad, 20 wickets, 5.37 economy rate) An economy rate of 5.37 over 16 matches is extraordinary, and he took 20 wickets to boot. Even if Hyderabad were short of their best, they always stood a chance when the ball was in the hand of their Afghan ace. Sportzpics for BCCI

8. Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals, 20 wickets, 6.55 economy rate) Anrich Nortje might have bowled faster. Bumrah may have bowled smarter. Rashid Khan might have been thriftier. But there remain few greater thrills in cricket than Archer in full flight. Sportzpics for BCCI

9. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals, 30 wickets, 8.34 economy rate) Ended on the losing side in the final, but Delhi were making history by reaching there for the first time. Rabada was their bowling spearhead, and ended the tournament as the leading wicket taker. Sportzpics for BCCI

10. Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians, 25 wickets, 7.97 economy rate) Man of the match in the final, against the side who let him go in the off-season. Mumbai might as well have been crowned champions from the moment the New Zealander shot out Marcus Stoinis with the first ball of the final. Sportzpics for BCCI

11. Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians, 27 wickets, 6.73 economy rate) Bizarre to think he looked out of sorts, way back when the tournament started. He ended it with more wickets than any Indian bowler has ever managed in a single season of the IPL. Sportzpics for BCCI