Is Ashwin the best choice for captain in Tests?

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

Is Ravichandran Ashwin the best choice to replace Kohli as captain in Tests? If not, then who?

[Forever Indian]

He is the only one after Kohli who can be sure of his place in test team, so Yes.

[Lala]

He failed captaining in IPL, so he cannot tolerate the pressure of international games 

[nikred]

He failed captaining in IPL, so he cannot tolerate the pressure of international games 

As opposed to Kohli who set the IPL on fire with his astute captaincy.

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[shortbread]

Need to wait till the end of the series before taking such a call.

[Gollum]

Absolutely no, Kohli MUST remain captain, MUST MUST MUST MUST and I can't emphasize this enough. Only thing he needs a proper environment (coaches, Bunty, Bollywood distractions etc are letting him down atm) and with accountability....he's too powerful right now. For all his flaws he leads by example like Kapil Dev. Seen him energize the team so often when shoulders droop, plus he is passionate like Dada. Also a sure started in every condition. Ashwin being a spinner won't play every match (esp in Aus, NZ) but can't imagine a situation where we enter the field without Kohli. I have many complaints w.r.t his tactics, team selection, lack of patience, domineering attitude with team mates..... but those things can be worked out. Kohli himself needs to understand his negative points and work on that, will happen if he is forced to work under a good coach. The richest cricket board must clip his wings and force him to play under the best coaches, not ass lickers. Better selectors with strong credentials and independent minds (like Vengsarkar, More) is the need of the hour. Can't afford to have a coolie like MSK Prasad making these important calls while working part time as Dhoni's personal masseuse. So BCCI needs to up its game as much as Kohli.

 

I am not saying all this as slight to Ashwin. No doubt he is a great player and sharp observer but captaincy isn't everyone's cup of tea. Kohli has that aura to impose himself on opponent teams, Ashwin doesn't have that quality. Ashwin isn't very athletic, so won't inspire others on the field. But I have no doubt that he is someone who can work very well behind the scenes on the field, in the locker room, in the training/pre match sessions, in the team strategy meetings. He seems to be more approachable for youngsters because he isn't intimidating like Virushka. He will make a very good Hand of the King working in the shadows. Let King Kohli assume charge and let Ashwin be his VC. Rahane doesn't deserve to play all test matches (esp in Asia ), is a poor performer and under tremendous pressure to justify his billing. Do you think Kohli will even take his inputs seriously? Ashwin (and may be Jadeja) is the only other player who can command the attention of VK because he is the only guy who can measure up to Kohli's status as a test cricketer. I am not too keen on Jaddu because he has been part of many controversies in IPL and in all likelihood was one of the names in Mudgal report...too murky a character for my liking, and selfish to boot. Ashwin may annoy me with his antics and over analysis/bakbak/overconfidence/sloppiness but he is a team man with no conflict of interest or shady past. He has always been a selfless cricketer who doesn't mind soiling his reputation/stats for team's benefit. Even in Lord's he could have remained not out both innings but was shielding the tailenders unmindful of his own scoring opportunities in a lost cause. 

 

However post of captain/VC is moot point unless the coaching staff is changed and player power curbed. Next important thing to sort out is selection committee and only after that the captain. Captain is Batman (VC is Lucius Fox or Alfred whatever...), Head Coach is Harvey Dent and Chief Selector is Commissioner Gordon...all 3 need to be high performers and in perfect sync, even one weak link can spoil the broth. Right now all 3 are in sync but more like chewtiyapa resonance where 1 chewtiya amplifies the problems created by another. Small real life example: MSK selects (pensioner) Dhoni, Coach says (past his expiry date) Dhoni will play till 2023 and asks everyone to introspect on their lives before commenting on him, Kohli is a slave of (serial match loser) Dhoni and can't pee without taking his permission. Total sync but supporting a wrong cause. Replace this by Selector XXX selecting Pant, Coach YYY honing Pant's skills/mind and Kohli selecting/backing/mentoring Pant in live match...this is a good cause which will benefit Indian cricket. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Gollum

[vvvslaxman]

Vice-captain would be a good choice. He is good in that role rather than Captain. The captain shouldn't have the capacity to think too much lol Sometimes it works against you.

[Laaloo]

Not many choices to be honest. The next best choice is rahane but he can't score runs. Can't have a non performing captain.