All eyes will be on KL Rahul heading into the first ODI against South Africa on January 19. Rahul will be leading the side in the absence of newly appointed white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma. KL Rahul also highlighted that it will be a huge responsibility if he’s chosen as the Test captain of the team.
This speculation arrives after Virat Kohli dropped a bombshell by expressing his intention to step down from leadership following the conclusion of the Test series against South Africa. Many believe that KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are the most realistic options for the post while wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant may also have a chance.
Speaking to the media ahead of the ODI series, Rahul admitted that the Test captaincy is not something that is on his mind right now. “I had not given it a thought till the names came out, till the articles or news have been doing the rounds. Obviously, I had the opportunity to lead the Test side in Johannesburg and it was really special. The result did not go as expected but it was a great learning experience for me and it would be something I will always be proud of.
“For any player to lead the country is a dream come true and something special, which you will cherish for a long time. I am no different. Yes, it would be a huge responsibility if given to me. It is something that is very exciting for me, I am not really looking forward to anything at this time. If it happens to come my way then I will try and do my best to carry Team India forward. But for now, I am focusing on the series which is ahead,” said the 29-year-old.
KL Rahul also spoke at length about Venkatesh Iyer who earned his maiden ODI callup for the series against South Africa. Iyer emerged as the breakthrough star of IPL 2021 following his successful exploits with Kolkata Knight Riders. In the absence of Hardik Pandya who is still working on the sidelines to recover from injury, Venkatesh Iyer has emerged as a potential all-round option for the team.
“Yes, Venkatesh Iyer has been very exciting since he has played for KKR and done really well there and he joined us for the T20I series against New Zealand. He did really well there. Fast-bowling all-rounders are always an asset. We are always looking for fast-bowling all-rounders. They balance the team out really well. Very excited about Venkatesh Iyer. It is a great opportunity for him in South Africa and he is looking really good in the nets,” said Rahul about the all-rounder.
