Rishabh Pant's baptism by fire could usher in another glorious keeper-captain era in Indian cricket

This might be a dark time in Indian cricket, but sport in the country has been through several such periods. At the end of the day, irrespective of personnel both on and off the field, cricket is cricket. It's definitely time for Indian cricket to move on from the shock of Virat Kohli's fall from captaincy grace and embrace a new era that is so tantalizingly on the horizon.

Rohit Sharma is now India's white-ball captain, but he has been plagued by fitness issues for a few years now and isn't a long-term all-format option. KL Rahul has been completely pedestrian with his captaincy both in the Indian Premier League and in the limited opportunities he has got for India, and it doesn't seem like he can inspire this team to the heights it achieved under Kohli and MS Dhoni. Other all-format regulars like Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have drawbacks in the form of both captaincy experience and workload management.

So where are India looking to find their next captain? Rishabh Pant, all of 24 years of age but a modern-day great in the making, might be the only real answer.

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Rishabh Pant fits the MS Dhoni mold to a tee

India v New Zealand - ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Semi-Final

Former captain MS Dhoni once remarked that he doesn't believe split captaincy is a viable solution in Indian cricket. And recent events, namely the supposed fall-out between Kohli and the BCCI, have hinted that Dhoni - like always - might be right. Since Rohit's fitness may not hold up if he has to not only play but also lead India across three formats, and India will most probably look towards someone in the top six, Pant and Rahul are the only viable alternatives.

Two Indian Premier League captains who have experienced contrasting success as skippers in franchise cricket, Pant and Rahul, are as different as captains can get. While Rahul often plays it safe, rarely making gutsy decisions and often letting the game flow as it would like to, Pant has made a name for himself as someone who isn't afraid to take big calls.

Pant has come under criticism for a few key decisions, such as his decision to bowl Marcus Stoinis in the final over as well as his move to hand Tom Curran the ball in a similar scenario ahead of Kagiso Rabada. But otherwise, the 24-year-old seems to have the basics of captaincy covered.

Pant is excellent with his usage of spinners in the middle overs, something which Dhoni was the gold standard for. He is also creative with his fields, unafraid to experiment as a youngster whose game both behind and in front of the stumps screams fearlessness.

Pant's captaincy has also impressed a few notable cricketing minds like Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar. While Ponting and the Delhi Capitals think tank decided to persist with Pant at the helm even after Shreyas Iyer returned from the injury that displaced him, Gavaskar has openly suggested in the wake of Kohli's announcement that the southpaw should be the man India turn to. Even Indian legend Yuvraj Singh has come out in support of Pant, saying that the Delhi-born lad exhibits excellent game awareness and reads the situation well.

England v India - Fourth LV= Insurance Test Match: Day Two

The effect captaincy could have on Pant's batting is something that must be considered, but the same issues are magnified in Rahul's case. Moreover, Pant was solid for the Capitals even when he was captain, often promoting himself up the order and seeing off tricky run-chases.

Most importantly, Pant's batting could reach an all-time high if he welcomes the extra responsibility. Like Dhoni molded himself into arguably the greatest finisher of all time, the dynamic young batter could take his dangerous attacking game to a level that could typify the kind of cricket India will want to play.

Aggression and positive intent have been lacking for the Men in Blue in white-ball cricket, with teams like England and Australia reaping the rewards for adjusting to the demands of the modern game. And in the red-ball format, where Pant is a definite member of the playing XI, it is distinctly within the realm of possibility for him to ditch the rash hoicks across the line and play to the demands of the team.

Rishabh Pant's career has been on an upward spiral ever since he made his debut for India. He has constantly progressed in all departments. He has become more mature; he has become more active on the field; he has become a solid gloveman; he has won India several games almost single-handedly.

Indian cricket already knows how beneficial a keeper-captain era can be, and reverting to certain trusted instincts might be the best course of action at a time when uncertainty and doubt are ruling the roost. The time has come for Rishabh Pant to be baptized by fire - to be handed the ultimate responsibility of leading the national team.

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