"It’s just one Test match" – Deep Dasgupta against change in India's Test captaincy

After India won the Boxing Day Test, many pundits and fans reignited the debate for Ajinkya Rahane to become the captain of India’s Test setup. But former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta feels it’s too early to jump to conclusions.

Ajinkya Rahane is in charge of the team for three out of four Tests against Australia since Virat Kohli is away on paternity leave. And the Mumbai lad impressed one and all with both his batting and captaincy, which heavily contributed to India’s series-leveling eight-wicket victory in Melbourne.

Speaking on India Today, Deep Dasgupta stated it would be folly to pass a judgement based on one’s performance in a solitary match. He further opined that fans might be having a problem with Virat Kohli’s aggressive nature on the pitch, as opposed to Ajinkya Rahane’s equanimity.

“I am taking nothing away from him [Ajinkya Rahane], but it’s just one Test match. Other leaders like R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah also stepped up.

"Let’s hold on to our horses as Virat Kohli hasn’t done anything wrong either. It seems like people have a problem with the way he expresses himself, but that’s the way he is,” Deep Dasgupta told India Today.

‘Virat Kohli is the same captain under whom the Indian team won in Australia,’ says Dasgupta

Virat Kohli with the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Deep Dasgupta further weighed in on incumbent skipper Virat Kohli, urging people not to forget the star batsman’s remarkable track record as captain in all three formats. Additionally, Kohli led India to the No.1 ranking in Tests and also their first-ever Test series win Down Under in 2018-19.

“Kohli is the same captain under whom the Indian team won in Australia back in 2018-19. India was the No. 1 Test side for a very long time under his leadership. It’s good for Indian cricket that they have so many leaders.

“Even in Adelaide, the Indian team played well and was on top of Australia except for that one session where the team went through a batting debacle. In terms of batting, a captain can’t do much,” the 49-year-old concluded.

While Virat Kohli became the first Asian captain to win a Test series on Australian soil, Ajinkya Rahane now has an opportunity to further that milestone and help India create a humongous achievement of beating the Aussies in their own backyard on successive tours.

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