With the future of India's red-ball leadership being a hot topic, attention has turned to Hardik Pandya following his appointment as T20 captain for the West Indies tour and his role as ODI vice-captain. Amidst this, former selector MSK Prasad was asked if Pandya is the future of limited-overs cricket and whether Rohit Sharma is expected to lead the Test team through the upcoming WTC cycle.
Prasad noted that while he cannot speak for the current selection committee, he believes there should be a clear, long-term strategy in place for the World Test Championship cycle.
When considering alternatives to Rohit Sharma, Prasad brought up Virat Kohli, questioning why he shouldn't be an option—especially since Ajinkya Rahane was able to return as vice-captain. While he isn't sure if Kohli is personally interested in leading again, Prasad believes that if the selectors are looking for a successor to Rohit, Kohli is a natural choice.
The conversation also turned to Rishabh Pant's leadership potential. Prasad lauded Pant's incredible record, noting that he's the only Indian keeper-batsman to hit centuries in England, South Africa, and Australia. That said, he stressed that the priority must remain on ensuring Pant fully recovers and finds his form after his injury.