Gavaskar’s choice of next Test captain is a 24-year-old youngster

Rishabh Pant could be the right man to lead India in Test cricket following Virat Kohli’s decision to quit as captain, former opener Sunil Gavaskar said on Saturday.

Pant has never led the senior national team but Gavaskar believes that he is an automatic pick across all three formats.

“It’s going to be quite a debate as far as the selection committee is concerned as to who should be taking Indian cricket forward. First of all, it should be someone who is an automatic pick across all formats of the game. Once that happens, it will be a lot easier,” Gavaskar told India Today.

“If you ask me, I am still staying, I would look at Rishabh Pant as next India captain.

“For one reason only, just like Rohit Sharma was given the captaincy of Mumbai Indians when Ricky Ponting stepped down, look at the change in his batting after that. Suddenly the responsibility of being captain made him convert those beautiful cameos of 30s, 40s and 50s into hundreds, 150s and 200s.”

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A sense of responsibility will help Pant score many more runs, he said.

Gavaskar said youngsters can also handle the burden of captaincy, and gave the example of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

“Tiger Pataudi was captain at the age of 21 under adverse circumstances when Nari Contractor was injured. Look what he did after that. He took to captaincy like duck to water. I think what we have seen with Rishabh Pant as the captain of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, I do believe he has the capability of taking Indian cricket forward and making it a very exciting team to watch,” he added.