Rohit happy to groom India’s future leaders

Rohit Sharma said yesterday he was happy to help train possible successors following his recent appointment as India’s cricket captain across all formats in place of Virat Kohli.The star batsman was named Test captain on Saturday – he was already white-ball skipper – but since he will turn 35 in April pundits do not expect his tenure to be a long one. India’s cricket board has identified three possible candidates all in their 20s to follow him eventually – Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.“I won’t have that much of a role of telling them each and everything, obviously they are all mature cricketers but someone needs to be around them to help and guide them in difficult situations and (I am) more than happy to do that,” Rohit told his first press conference after taking over the Test job.“We were groomed by someone else, so it’s a natural process. If you talk of Bumrah, KL, Pant, they have a big role to play in India’s success at the same time they are looked upon as leaders as well.”India’s pace spearhead Bumrah, 28, has been appointed vice-captain in the upcoming series of three T20s and two Tests at home to Sri Lanka beginning today. KL Rahul, 29, who captained the ODI team in South Africa in January, remained unavailable due to injury.The 24-year-old Pant, a wicketkeeper-batsman who leads Indian Premier League team Delhi Capitals, has also been earmarked as a future captain by pundits including batting great Sunil Gavaskar. “Again we don’t want to put pressure on these guys,” Rohit said. “They are very critical to us and at the moment we just want them to enjoy their game, come out freely and execute (their) skills.”On Bumrah’s elevation to the deputy’s job in T20 and Tests, Rohit said the role would only add to his promise as a lethal fast bowler – with 113 Test wickets since his 2018 debut. “It doesn’t really matter too much if it’s a batter or bowler as the vice-captain, it’s the mind that matters of that individual. And I think Jasprit Bumrah has a great mind of the game,” Rohit said. “It’s a good way to step into the leadership role now. Obviously he has taken his game to the next level and I am sure he will continue to do that even further. But this is only going to add and get him more confident in whatever he wants to do on the field.” Bumrah was named vice-captain for the first time in the ODI series in South Africa earlier this year.Yadav, Chahar out of T20sBatsman Suryakumar Yadav and fast bowler Deepak Chahar were yesterday ruled out of India’s 3-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka because of injuries. Yadav, who scored 107 runs to be named man of the series in India’s 3-0 Twenty20 sweep of the West Indies, suffered a hairline fracture to his hand while fielding in the final match in Kolkata.“Surya’s injury obviously is a setback. He was in great form as you saw in the last series,” Sharma told reporters. “But again there are so many players who are waiting here to get an opportunity. I am more than happy for them to come in and fill in.”Chahar injured his thigh while bowling in the same match.The Board of Control for Cricket in India said the “two will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for further management of their injuries”. “I am a little sad for Surya because he was in such a great form and wanted to carry on,” said Sharma. “It was a freak injury, he was standing in the slips, got hit on his thumb. Those things you can’t control. I wish him a quick recovery and he comes back soon.”Shanaka wants Sri Lanka’s top order to ‘fire’ in IndiaSkipper Dasun Shanaka said yesterday that Sri Lanka’s top batters will need to be among the runs against a strong Indian bowling line-up in three Twenty20 internationals beginning this week.Sri Lanka come into the opening T20 in Lucknow starting Thursday at the back of a disappointing tour of Australia where they lost the five-match T20 series 4-1.“We want the top-order to fire. Whenever our top order is among the runs we have a better chance of winning,” Shanaka said in the pre-match press conference.“India have a strong bowling lineup and we are expecting our top order to fire which will give our bowlers a chance to defend.”Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the T20 series after he tested positive again for Covid-19. He caught the virus in Australia last week.Shanaka said they have the bench strength to survive the absence of Hasranaga, who became the costliest Sri Lankan cricketer to be sold in the Indian Premier League auction for $1.42 million to Royal Challengers Bangalore.“These youngsters have been in the system for a while, they have performed in domestic cricket. It has become normal with the Covid situation (to lose players to the virus),” said Shanaka.“All the teams struggle with these cases. Wanindu will be a weakness for us but we know that he will be back soon. Still our squad is strong enough.”Shanaka, who is a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler, said he expects a tough battle on the cards despite India being without the rested Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant and the injured Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Chahar.“They have got lot of experience with the IPL and have enough international exposure. They are very strong, but we have a good side as well,” he said.The series will be followed by two Tests.