‘For a team like India, adjusting to it can be time taking’- Deep Dasgupta on the prospects of India adapting to split captaincy

Deep Dasgupta, the former Indian cricketer, reckons that a team like India may take some time to adjust to the concept of split-captaincy. Over quite some time, talks over the same have been doing the rounds. Back on November 2019, Sourav Ganguly, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said that India don’t need to split captaincy for the time being.

Ganguly, who’s also a former Indian cricketer, felt that there’s no need for discussion regarding the issue. Even MSK Prasad, the former chief of India’s selection panel, opined on it. In the meantime, the 42-year-old Dasgupta stated that while a team like England may not have much issues, it’s tougher for India since Virat Kohli, their skipper, plays all the three formats.

“For teams like England, Eoin Morgan doesn’t play Test cricket. So, it becomes a straightforward decision to split captaincy for that team. But, for a team like India, Virat Kohli plays all three formats and India plays big tournaments every eight to nine months in limited-overs.

It will take some time for the team to adjust with the new captain and the captain needs some time to adjust with the team in those eight months,” Dasgupta, who played eight Tests and five ODIs for the national team, was quoted as saying in an exclusive chat with CricTracker on Instagram Live.

It will be unfair to change captaincy before a big tournament: Deep Dasgupta

In Virat’s absence, Rohit Sharma, the limited-overs vice-captain, takes over the captaincy mantle. And the Nagpur-born hasn’t flattered to deceive by any means. Under his leadership, India won the Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup in 2018. The Bengal-born Dasgupta lauded Rohit, but also said that India shouldn’t resort to the experiment of changing leadership before a big tournament.

“Rohit Sharma is a brilliant and attacking captain, but it will be unfair to change captaincy before a big tournament and it takes a lot of discussion between those senior players before changing captaincy. It becomes tricky when it comes to split captaincy in a country like India,” he added.

As far as big tournaments are concerned, India are scheduled to play the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. But the coronavirus pandemic has put to doubts the hosting of the mega event.