Not Jasprit Bumrah! Google AI Gives 3 Captaincy Options For India In Test Cricket As Rohit Sharma's Replacement

Four wins, two losses and a draw is a pretty decent record for a new captain in Test cricket, one would say. However, if the captain is 36 years old and a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is set to begin, and the most recent result is a loss in the final, questions begin to be raised. Rohit Sharma, who became the captain of the Indian Test team following Virat Kohli's shock decision to step down in February 2022, led the national side in an overseas Test for the first time and the two-time WTC finalists failed to conquer the final destination once again.

Since the 209-run loss against Australia, there have been calls to look for Rohit's successor as very few believe that the 36-year-old will last the next WTC cycle completely since he will be 38 by the time, WTC 25 final arrives. Appointment of Ajinkya Rahane or Virat Kohli again, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin - these are the options thrown in by several experts. And amid all this, Google's AI Bard has also jumped on the bandwagon as it has given three options regarding Rohit's successor.

The AI's options, however, didn't include Jasprit Bumrah, the strike bowler for India, who has already made his captaincy debut in the rescheduled Test match against England last year.

The first option AI went with was KL Rahul, under whom India won the Bangladesh series. However, it was a surprise considering Rahul not just lost his place in the side as vice-captain but also from the playing XI following poor returns in the first two Tests against Australia.

“Rahul is a very experienced player who has been around the Indian team for a few years now. He is a very good batsman who can score runs in all conditions, and he is also a very good fielder. Rahul has captained Karnataka in domestic cricket and Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League. He would be a very experienced and reliable choice to lead India in Test cricket," the AI responded in Rahul's favour.

The next option was Rishabh Pant, who is out of cricketing action for the foreseeable future after his car accident in December last year. Pant, who has already led Team India in T20Is, is currently the best Test batter for his side and might be in the mix when he is fully fit.

“Pant is a young and exciting wicketkeeper-batsman who has already shown great leadership qualities in his short career. He has captained Delhi in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, and he has also led India in a few matches.“Pant is a very aggressive batsman who loves to take on the opposition, and he is also a very good thinker about the game. He would be a very exciting choice to lead India in Test cricket,” AI said for Pant.

The third option was another surprise as AI went for 23-year-old Shubman Gill out of other options. Gill has established himself as the next big thing with consistent performances across all three formats and the IPL. However, it may be too early to give him the reins, especially in a format like Test cricket.

“Gill is another young and talented player who has a bright future ahead of him. He is a technically correct batsman who has a good temperament, and he has also shown leadership qualities in his short career. Gill would be a safe and steady choice to lead India in Test cricket," the AI said.