India To Welcome Split Captaincy? These Two Individuals To Be Appointed For Tests And ODIs

Indian cricket has grown a lot in recent times. They have welcomed many new aspects in their game or structure, but spilled captaincy has always been a new topic in their game. Any instances of a leadership split happened due to retirement from one format or the other.

The BCCI has hardly opted for two different individuals moving towards the same aim across formats. In the past, Kapil Dev and Saurav Ganguly led the side for several years before MS Dhoni became the new captain and shouldered the responsibility.

Once Dhoni decided to step away from Tests, Virat Kohli became the new red-ball leader. The former wicket-keeper batter took two more years before handing the entire duty to the Delhi-born. After Kohli, Rohit Sharma took the baggage, and once he retired in the shortest format, Suryakaumar Yadav became India’s new T20I captain.

BCCI moving with split captaincy after Rohit Sharma's era

With Rohit and Virat’s retirement in the T20Is and BCCI replacing Gautam Gambhir as their new head coach after Rahul Dravid decided to move out, Sky became the new T20I leader.

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His record for India in the shortest format is incredible, with 2598 runs in 79 innings at an average of 38.20 and a strike rate of 167.07, with the help of four centuries and 21 half-centuries at the best score of 117.

However, the Mumbai batter hasn’t cracked the ODI formula yet with a struggling record of 773 runs in 35 innings at an average of 25.76 and a strike rate of 105.02, thanks to four fifties. This doesn’t inspire the selectors to go for him in the ODI captaincy. That brings the split captaincy aspect, something that Gambhir and selectors are excited with for a long time.

“India is going to have three captains for three formats very soon. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the captains fare.” The BCCI source revealed, as quoted by Cricblogger. “This sort of transition phase could be very delicate for the system, but the board is ready for it.”

Virat Kohli to return for India’s Test captaincy; Hardik Pandya for ODIs

The reports have claimed that Gambhir wants Virat Kohli, his fellow Delhi teammate, back in the Test leadership. The decision perhaps has come after their recent five-match Test series defeat by a margin of 3-1 in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

The veteran is India’s most successful red-ball captain, with 40 victories in 68 encounters. Overall, he stands at number six in this department. There won’t be any question over his appointment as the red-ball captain. But the batter has struggled a lot in recent times, with just 417 runs coming off his bat in 19 innings at an average of 24.53.

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In the 50-over format, the reports have thrown the name of Hardik Pandya as the new captain. The Baroda all-rounder has notched up 1778 runs in 62 ODI innings at a strike rate of 110.50, thanks to 11 half-centuries with a best score of 92*, besides collecting 84 wickets at an average of 35.67.

Tough captaincy selection task for India

In the past, the reports revealed that one of Rishabh Pant or Yashasvi Jaiswal could lead the Test side. Jasprit Bumrah was India’s vice-captain under Rohit and led them to victory during the opening Perth Test at the Optus Stadium in the Mumbai batter’s absence.

But Bumrah’s injury is always a question mark on his Test captaincy. The BCCI selected Shubman Gill as their new ODI vice-captain for the Champions Trophy, and it won’t be shocking if he takes over both ODIs and Tests.