5 reasons why Rohit Sharma, not Virat Kohli, should be India's T20I skipper

After Rohit Sharma led India to a triumphant campaign in the Nidahas Trophy against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh last month, he has been subject to a plethora of plaudits from the pundits as well as the fans of the game. This achievement was signified even further by the fact that he managed it despitemany big guns being absent from the Indian squad.

One of these rested superstars was Virat Kohli, for whom Sharma filled in as a stand-in skipper for the length of the tournament. Now that he has managed to win it in such a convincing fashion, it seems that the Mumbai Indians skipper can take up the position on a permanent basis.

Here are five reasons why Sharma should now be India’s T20I captain in place of Kohli:

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#1 Success with the Mumbai Indians

Sharma's appointment as the captain was the turning point of Mumbai Indians' IPL journey

After the first five seasons of the IPL, the Mumbai Indians were amongst the most underachieving teams of the tournament. Despite boasting of numerous international stars in their squad and building an enviable support staff, the franchise could not get its hands on the coveted trophy.

The entry of Sharma into the fray not only changed the fortunes of the Mumbai-based franchise but also solved its long-standing leadership crisis. He took over from Ricky Ponting midway through the sixth edition of the tournament in 2013 and turned the tables for his struggling side.

Since then, the hometown captain hasn’t looked back and has taken his team from an underperforming unit to the most successful franchise in the league. Since he was handed the mantle of MI, the right-hander has led them to three IPL titles in just five years.

This fact, in itself, is the ultimate advocate for Sharma to handle the Indian reins for the shortest format of the game.

#2 Workload off Kohli

Kohli is answerable for almost everything that happens in Indian cricket

Kohli is India’s best bet with the willow and easily is one of the top batsmen in the world today. He leads the country in all three formats of the game. He interacts with the international media after every victory, defeat, or tie. He fields like a livewire in the 30-yard circle and is a strong component of India’s dynamic on-field unit. He marshals the troops, he wins games with the bat, and he is never shy to give it back to the opposition with his performances as well as his words.

That is a lot of work for one human being.

Hence, if Sharma manages to take this one thing off the shoulders of India’s talisman, it might not be such a bad thing for Kohli as well as for the Indian team. There will be no dearth of responsibilities for the Indian skipper even then, but this one move might give him the much-required space to regroup and replenish from time to time.

#3 Dynamism in decisions

Sharma can think on his feet in pressurizing situations

When it comes to making innovative decisions in T20 cricket, Sharma might have the edge over his international skipper. He has the ability to come up with masterful decisions from time to time and is not afraid to deviate from the original plan if the on-field situation demands it.

This kind of dynamism is extremely important in a T20 captain. It not only helps the team recuperate at crucial junctures of the game but also keeps the opposition on its toes at all times.

Sharma is fearless when it comes to taking the occasional risk on the field and more often than not, it manages to pay off in the end. His decision to hold back Dinesh Karthik in the final of the Nidahas Trophy turned the match on its head and swung it ferociously in India’s favour. He can also make quick bowling changes as and when required, thereby not letting the opposition batsmen settle down on the crease anywhere through their innings.

The 30-year-old trusts his guts on pressurizing occasions and more often than not, his decisions breed gold at the end of it all.

#4 Responsibility breeds consistency

Sharma needs more reliability in his game

The right-handed batsman definitely is amongst the best openers in world cricket today. When he gets going, he can create havoc in the game and take the winds out of the sails of the opposition bowling attack.

However, one major criticism that Sharma faces in terms of his batting is that he is not consistent enough at the top of the order. He fails to deliver performances without letting the occasional unpredictability seep into his game. This makes him undependable from time to time.

More often than not, the 30-year-old returns to the pavilion due to soft dismissals in international cricket. He plays the wrong shot, he pokes at the delivery he should’ve left alone, or he falls to the occasional run-out from time to time.

Once the captaincy of the side is entrusted to him, the frequency of these errors will automatically diminish. The Mumbaikar will bat with more responsibility and thus, will become more reliable in terms of his individual performances. This will not only help him grow as a batsman, but will be a positive sign for the Indian unit as a whole.

#5 Kohli's one-minded focus on World Cup 2019

Kohli shone in the ICC World Cup 2015

Once Kohli lets go of the captaincy in the shortest format of the game, it will open him up to pay more attention to the ICC ODI World Cup, which will be held in England in 2019. He will be able to focus entirely on ODI cricket in LOI and that will help him build a squad according to the requirements that are specific to the format.

This is the first time Kohli will lead India in a World Cup. Thus, it is imperative for him to get the nuances of ODI captaincy right before heading up to England next year. The pressure on him will be doubled as he will also be India's main batsman going into the tournament.

However, if he continues to be the commander-in-chief in T20 cricket as well, he might end up being overburdened and saturated at the helm of the World Cup next year. The 29-year-old cannot afford to let that happen, as it is very important for him and his team to fill some prominent voids before participating in the big tournament.