5 teams that might get new captains after the World Cup 2019

If South Africa finish in the bottom three, which looks more likely going by their results, it’ll be too much to soak in for Faf du Plessis. The 34-year-old could be stepping down if their performance doesn’t improve over the course of the tournament, which leaves the selectors with no other options but to hunt for capable alternatives. Who can take this side forward after this apocalyptic performance is a huge doubt.

Aiden Markram is a good option, but to burden a talented youngster with such huge responsibility could backfire. He led South Africa to U19 World Cup triumph a few years back and just the way a certain Graeme Smith was appointed back in the day during a crisis period, be could be taking up the duties soon. David Miller is another option, but he has no experience whatsoever in this regard.

3. Sri Lanka

It is tough to understand where Sri Lankan cricket is heading right now. Their batting, bowling and fielding departments look very pale and incompetent for the highest level. Although there’s a lot of potential in the side, they don’t seem to have the right guidance system to make optimum use of their talents. Current skipper Dimuth Karunaratne might not be leading the lines once the tournament is done.

They have plenty of questions if this turns true, do they go back to Dinesh Chandimal or look for a younger option in Kusal Mendis? They also have the likes of Thisara Perera and Kusal Perera, who have been performing well in recent months and are perfectly capable of inspiring this underconfident group of men.

4. Pakistan

A lot of senior players in the side are probably heading towards the end of their careers in a green jersey, like Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and also skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed. One of the major problems with Sarfaraz is that he doesn’t contribute regularly with the bat, making him a liability in the middle order on most occasions.

Babar Azam is being touted as the next big deal in their country and he could be taking up the role once Sarfaraz steps down. They also have the likes of Fakhar Zaman, who has the experience of leading Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. Imad Wasim is another viable option for the selectors to ponder upon.

5. Bangladesh

Perhaps the most obvious of all, Mashrafe Mortaza will be playing his final World Cup and Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker with the white ball is not getting any younger. It was under his inspirational leadership that Bangladesh found a right path to travel on and it’ll be difficult for the selectors to find a proper replacement for his position.

The likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim are always top contenders to get the job, but they might not be very interested. This brings Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan into the picture, the younger brigade with great vision. This is a decision which will have large-scale ramifications if it doesn’t work out